"The foreign feeder vessel operators assured me of resuming operation, as the cabinet decided on bringing amendment to an ordinance," said Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain after a cabinet meeting. "I hope they would be operating from tomorrow (Tuesday)."

A bill will be placed in the next parliament session for amendment to the Bangladesh Flag Vessel (protection) Ordinance, 1982, excluding the foreign container vessel operators from the reach of the law, according to the cabinet decision. The rule however will remain effective for break bulk operators.

The minister said that there would be no separate ordinance by the president, as the parliament session has already been summoned.

The foreign feeder vessel operators will resume operation, if the cabinet decision comes in their favour, operators told The Daily Star before.

Earlier, a shipping ministry move to resolve the stalemate fell apart, as the foreign feeder vessel operators and main line operators refused to resume operation unless the flag rule was changed.

The container deadlock surfaced, as the major foreign feeder vessel operators suspended operation since May 31 in protest at the rule of taking waiver certificates.

The ordinance was enforced after a High Court ruling based on a petition by local company HRC Shilling Limited. Under the ordinance, foreign container vessels before loading or unloading took waiver certificates from the Principal Office of Mercantile Marine Department that verified that there were no local vessels available at the port.

Business leaders have also been demanding cancellation of the rule, as it goes against what they called the spirit of the free market economy.