A new beginning was made in maritime trade and bilateral cooperation between India and Bangaldesh with the launch of direct shipping service between Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Chittagong yesterday. This new service is expected to reduce cost of transportation with a promise to boost exports of cotton, steel, tyres, minerals and other goods and commodities to Bangladesh. According to sources, about fifty percent of cotton being imported by Bangladesh is from India.<br/><br/>Member of Bangladesh Parliament Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, Bangladesh's Neepa Paribahan chief executive officer Md. Sirajuddin Rahaman, Krishnapatnam port chief executive officer Anil Yendluri and chief operating officer S. Subba Rao attended the event which marked the berthing of the first historic vessel named MV Harbour-1 which arrived at the Krishnapatnam Port Container Terminal (KPCT) in Nellore.<br/><br/>The new direct service to Chittagong would also be stretched up to Pangaon inland container port located close to capital Dhaka. The new shipping line Krishnapatnam-Pangaon weekly direct service, was welcomed by the traders on both sides as it would greatly reduce the transit cost and also saves time. Dhaka-based Neepa Paribahan, which has long experience in shipping, operates these direct services. <br/><br/>Our correspondent reports that Krishnapatnam port is ushering in landmark developments such as the launch of Indo-Bangla direct shipping service within eight years of the commencement of the port operations.