OPR Seaways opens India’s first water line to Bangaldesh

OM Logistics, Phonex Group, and Roadwings International have joined hands for a tri-party venture, OPR Seaways, to provide Inland Water Transport (IWT) services to Bangladesh. The first sailing was conducted successfully on 5 May 2022, with 74 TEUs loaded and sailed out on barge ‘MV Ashrafi 2’ owned by M/s Abul Hassan & Brothers, Kolkata. This initiative has opened numerous trade opportunities between India and Bangladesh—less transit time and overall profitability. OPR Seaways aims to provide hassle-free, quick, and reliable container transportation services to Bangladesh via barges through consolidated logistics. Om Logistics has recently acquired Transafe (a unit of Balmer Lawrie & Co.) which has an inventory of over 15,000 containers ready for this movement. Phonex-Roadwings with their equipment base, stevedoring and shore handling expertise and tie-ups in Bangladesh are adding to this venture. The company is focused on providing consolidated logistics to the exporters where even a single container or less than container (LCL) cargo can be ferried from across India to Bangladesh in the most economical manner. This movement shall benefit Kolkata Port trade. With chartered and modified barges, lower handling costs, in-house vehicle fleet, Container Freight Station, and custom and non-custom bounded warehouses, OPR has a massive competitive edge.