Dhaka, Nov. 15 -- Bangladesh's ocean-going trade with China is expanding at an unexpectedly rapid pace despite a striking overall imbalance with the volume of shipments bound for China being very low.

The model is so unusual that shipping executives describe it as a rare exception to industry norms.

Yet, carriers are still adding vessels and capacity to meet Bangladesh's growing appetite for Chinese imports.

Direct shipping services between Chattogram, the country's main seaport, and major Chinese hubs, such as Shanghai, Ningbo, and Zhoushan, began a few years back.

But the route has since grown into one of the most heavily trafficked corridors for Bangladesh, driven overwhelmingly by its import-dependent manufacturing sector.

Ordina...