The service will cater to Mizoram and other North-eastern states using the Sittwe port in Myanmar located on the mouth of the Kaladan river, Shipping Secretary Vishwapati Trivedi said.
Seeking to allay concerns over financial implications of the move, he said, "SCI has the wherewithal to sustain the service in the long run. We cannot expect to make profits from day one. However, in a year's time, we hope the service, part of 'Look East Policy', will be well received by traders."
The cargo brought by the ship included pulses, timber, furniture, cement and chemicals. The ship will call on Krishnapatnam, Yangon and Colombo before returning to Chennai as part of the fortnightly service, it said.
The "Look East Policy', started in early 1990s, entails cultivation of extensive economic and strategic relations with the Southeast Asian nations.