Owners of lighter vessels have announced to increase the fare for transporting imported goods on inland water routes by 15 per cent due to the recent fuel price hike.

The new fare rates will be effective from November 15, said a circular issued by Water Transport Cell (WTC), a private organisation that coordinates allocation and schedules of lighter vessels.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the leaders of Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association (BCVOA), Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh, Container Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh, Inland Vessel Owners Association of Chattogram, WTC Goods Agent Association, and WTC Local Agents Association on Monday evening.

WTC coordinates around 1,800 lighter vessels engaged in unloading imported bulk cargoes from mother vessels at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port and carrying the goods to some 40 destinations across the country through inland water routes.

According to the circular, the 15 per cent additional fare would be added to the existing fare mentioned in the WTC fare chart for transporting goods from Kutubdia, outer anchorage of Chittagong port and from different ghats of river Karnaphuli to adjust increased diesel price.

Besides, 15 per cent increased fare would also be added to the existing additional fare in transporting corrosive goods like steel scraps and others, it stated.

An official of WTC said currently it costs on average Tk 415 per tonnes for transporting cement clinker or other raw materials of cement factories from Chattogram to Dhaka.

According to the circular, the new fare for transporting the raw materials would be at Tk 477 per tonnes, he said.

Around 93 per cent of the total import products are delivered from Chittagon port and out of which around 70 per cent are delivered at the outer anchorage.