Mongla port earns record revenue of Tk 3.4b in FY21

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the Mongla port has made a new record of earning revenue Tk 3.4 billion (340 crore) by loading-unloading over 11.9 (1.19 crore) tonnes of goods during the 2020-21 fiscal (FY21), reports BSS.

A total of 43,959 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) containers were handled during the period at the port.

According to the Mongla Port Authority (MPA) data, 11,945,000 tonnes of goods were loaded and unloaded at the country's second largest seaport during the FY21, up from 1 million (10 lakh) tonnes of goods than the fiscal 2019-20.

In 2019-20 fiscal, 11,037,000 goods were handled while 11,315,000 tonnes of goods in 2018-19 fiscal.

Besides, 970 ships have come to and gone from the Mongla port in FY21 while 903 in FY20 and 912 in FY 19.

In addition, larger ships are now able to dock at the port jetty and the port authorities consider it one of the successes after completion of dredging of different river channel including Mongla-Ghasiakhali.

According to the statistics, the port has advanced after Chattogram port, prime port of the country, in all the three categories of container, cargo goods and shipping.

MPA chairman rear admiral Mohammad Musa said despite having risk, the port was fully operational at this time of crisis to keep the country's economy afloat.

“We reached the record and it will increase our ranking,” he added.

He said Mongla port is now earning record profit and it proves that Bangladesh’s economy is growing and its foreign trade is also increasing despite corona pandemic.

The chairman said Mongla port is moving forward with the joint efforts of all stakeholders including officers and employees, berth operators, terminal operators, ship handling operators, C&F (clearing and forwarding) agents, freight forwarders, shipping agents and workers.

Mongla port director (traffic) Md Golam Mostofa said currently, on an average of 33,000 import and export goods are being loaded and unloaded through the port every day and if high drafts foreign ships are docked in the future, the volume will increase.

In 2020-2021 fiscal, the MPA earn record revenue of Tk 3.4 billion (340.23 crore) in its 70 years history.

The MPA had earned revenue of Tk 3.38 billion (338.19 crore) in 2019-2020 fiscal while Tk 3.29 billion (329.12 crore) in 2018-2019 fiscal.