Chittagong port: 3 terminals will be handed over to foreign operators by Dec

The Laldia and New Mooring Container Terminals (NCT) of Chattogram Port, along with the Pangaon Terminal in Keraniganj, Dhaka, will be handed over to foreign operators, said Mohammad Yousuf, Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping.

He said, “These terminals will be handed over to foreign operators for 25 to 30 years. We expect the agreements to be finalised by December.” According to him, there is no alternative to engaging foreign operators in order to enhance the port’s capacity.

The Shipping Secretary also mentioned that the agreements to be signed with the foreign operators will be made public on the ministry’s website if necessary.

He made these remarks on Sunday, while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Investment Potentials in the Ocean-going Ship Industry” held at the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) auditorium in Paltan, Dhaka. The seminar was organised by the ERF.

The event was chaired by ERF President Daulat Akter, with Azam J Chowdhury, President of the Bangladesh Ocean Going Ship Owners’ Association, attending as the special guest.

The keynote paper was presented by Zaidi Sattar, Chairman of the Policy Research Institute (PRI), a private think tank. The programme was moderated by ERF General Secretary Abul Kashem.

Highlighting efforts to increase the capacity of Chattogram Port, Shipping Secretary Mohammad Yousuf said, “We are doing something that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world, releasing goods by opening containers inside the port. Chattogram Port has 13 gates, but only six have scanning machines, and among those, three to four remain out of order. The port cannot operate effectively in this condition.

That is why we are trying to appoint foreign operators to enhance port capacity. If we can do that, foreign investment will increase. By 2030, we must handle the challenge of 5.36 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of container movement. Therefore, there is no alternative to engaging foreign operators. Many countries, including India and Sri Lanka, already have such arrangements.”