The new business of direct shipping, which was introduced in December last, is expected to grab around 10 percent of the country's export trade. The established shipping lines, however, viewed that this new trend of the business would never be seen as a bellwether in facilitating the trade. People at the local shipping companies said they may handle at least 10 percent or around 6,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) of monthly shipment. The Chattogram-based 18-inland container depots or off-docks handle around 60,000 TEUs a month. Under the new trend of shipping business, consignments are supposed to reach destinations directly instead of transshipment ports, and mainly concentrate between Chattogram port and European ports. Direct shipping was introduced following the high freight...