The visit marked the beginning of a comprehensive tour
that covered the ports at Krishnapatnam, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, and Haldia
from July 6 to July 12. After the evaluation, the team modified to the existing Coastal
Shipping Agreement and the Standard Operating Procedure for Protocol on Inland
Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) between India and Bangladesh.
The delegates were accompanied by
officials from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI),
Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPS&W), Directorate General
of Shipping (DG Shipping), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC),
and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The delegates from
Bangladesh visited the port premises, and witnessed its state-of-the-art
infrastructure, advanced technologies and its strategic positioning for global
trade.