PAT: BIMSTEC port link opens US$3.5tn market via Ranong–Chittagong route
The Port Authority of Thailand says linking Ranong Port with Bangladesh’s Chittagong (Chattogram) Port under BIMSTEC could strengthen Southeast Asia–South Asia trade and help Thai exporters reach a regional market worth more than US$3.5 trillion and 1.5 billion consumers.
BIMSTEC port cooperation targets bigger regional market
The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) says cooperation under the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to link Thailand’s Ranong Port with Bangladesh’s Chittagong (Chattogram) Port is emerging as a key regional logistics strategy, aimed at expanding trade between Southeast Asia and South Asia.
PAT said BIMSTEC represents a combined market of around 1.5 billion people with a total economic value of more than US$3.5 trillion, and that the Ranong–Chittagong linkage could help connect Thai businesses to a large pool of potential buyers.
Ranong positioned as Andaman gateway
PAT said Ranong Port’s location on the Andaman coast provides a strategic route to the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, allowing shipments to bypass the Strait of Malacca and reduce transport distance and time.
It added that it is accelerating infrastructure upgrades at Ranong, including additional cranes and handling equipment, as well as improvements to warehouses and berths, to prepare for higher cargo volumes.
Faster access for Thai exports to Bangladesh
PAT said the Ranong–Chittagong route would help high-potential Thai products reach Bangladesh more quickly, with key categories including agricultural goods and processed foods—such as instant noodles, fresh and processed fruit and halal products—along with auto parts, machinery and medical tourism services.
Chittagong’s role in Bangladesh trade
PAT noted that Chittagong (Chattogram) Port is Bangladesh’s largest port and a major trade hub, handling the bulk of the country’s international trade. It said the route could also support two-way trade flows, including Bangladeshi exports such as garments, leather goods, fisheries products and pharmaceuticals.
Cutting transit time and costs
PAT said connecting the two ports could reduce transport time and costs from 7–15 days to 3–5 days, strengthening logistics efficiency and BIMSTEC connectivity.
‘Golden opportunity’ to expand trade links
PAT said the pairing of Ranong and Chittagong ports could act as a mechanism to drive trade more systematically across the BIMSTEC network, positioning Ranong as a gateway port linking Southeast Asia with South Asia while lowering costs and supporting competitiveness.
