Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and AYUSH, and Admiral Tin Aung San, Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Transport and Communications of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, jointly inaugurated the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State, Myanmar, on May 9. They received the first Indian cargo ship during this event, which was flagged off from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata.
The opening of Sittwe Port would boost bilateral and regional trade while also benefiting the local economy of Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The port’s improved connectivity will result in more job opportunities and improved growth prospects in the region.
This project was designed to provide an alternate route connecting Mizoram to Haldia, Kolkata, and other Indian ports via the Kaladan River in Myanmar. The project envisions highway and road travel from Mizoram to Paletwa (Myanmar), then inland water transport (IWT) from Paletwa to Sittwe (Myanmar), and maritime shipping from Sittwe to any port in India.
Sittwe Port was built as part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), which was funded by a grant in aid from the Government of India. Once completely operational, the waterway and road components of the KMTTP will connect India’s east coast to the north-eastern states via the Sittwe port.
