The ambassador said this while he called on Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain at latter's office here yesterday.

They discussed the state of waterways, water transport system, and short and long term plans for increasing port facilities, an official source said.

Akbar apprised Thomas of the progress of implementation of the New Mooring Container Terminal of Chittagong Port and said that its cargo handling activities would be handed over to the private sector.

He also apprised the ambassador of establishing a container terminal on BOT (Build, Operate and Transfer) basis at Khanpur under the private sector to carry cargoes from the port to internal riverways.

Akbar said in view of development of Chittagong Port modern equipment including gantry crane have been procured. Necessary steps have been taken to bring dynamism in operational activities of the ports through computerisation.

Thomas praised the steps taken by the government to develop ports and waterways for extending internal and external trade.

He expressed hoped cooperation between US and Bangladesh will be increased in near future in extending facilities in ports and waterways.

Akbar apprised the ambassador of the steps taken by the government to face recent accidents in waterways. He also apprised the envoy of how the launches ply on the waterways and how the vessels are rescued.

He said there are two rescue ships with lifting capacity of 120 tonnes while there are many passengers launches whose body weight is 400 tonnes.

Under this situation, two rescue ships with lifting capacity of 600 tonnes are necessary for rescue operation, he added. The US ambassador assured him of considering the matter.

Shipping Secretary Zulfiqar Haider Chowdhury was present during the meeting.