Hsu/Pearl  (NSS) - August - 26 

Myanmar and some BIMSTEC member countries are likely to begin bilateral maritime trade, according to people familiar with the maritime transport sector.

Myanmar’s coastal vessels currently handle domestic port-to-port shipping, while cross-border trade with Thailand moves through Ranong. Meanwhile, negotiations with India for direct maritime trade are reportedly complete, awaiting only a final agreement.

Seeking to facilitate direct foreign maritime trade, relevant agencies—including the Myanmar Port Authority, the Customs Department, and the Department of Trade—recently held talks on standardizing cargo data and transport documentation. 

“We are no longer limited to domestic ports. With Ranong in Thailand, we are already engaged in both normal and border trade. Such trade inevitably involves interaction with the international community, and once that happens, we must adhere to international standards. Soon, we will also be dealing with India and BIMSTEC, at which point international vessels will conduct bilateral operations with ours. For that reason, our vessels must be prepared to operate in line with international standards. That is why these meetings are being held,” a person close to the maritime transport sector told The Statesman.

Myanmar is also negotiating maritime trade agreements with other BIMSTEC members. While simultaneous trade across all member states isn't feasible yet, agreements with India, Thailand, and Bhutan are currently being finalized, according to the source.

“Discussions are underway to finalize the agreements with BIMSTEC members. As far as I know, four countries are currently involved. This does not mean the remaining countries disagree; negotiations with them are still ongoing. The relevant government ministries and their respective BIMSTEC teams continue to negotiate and coordinate, and nothing has been finalized yet. Even if an agreement cannot be reached with all BIMSTEC members, it could be possible for some to do so within the current financial year. At least, we can say we will be much closer to international maritime trade than before,” the source said.

As of May, the BIMSTEC maritime agreement is officially active for Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Thailand. The Secretariat is pressing the remaining three members—Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka—to ratify the pact promptly. –