The Chittagong port, located on the estuary of the Karnaphuli River, faces challenges in operational growth due to lack of infrastructural development in a decade, port users, experts and authorities concerned say.
About 90% of the country’s export and import passes through the country’s prime seaport.
The port handled 25,66,597 containers in 2017, with a year-on-year operational growth of 9.36% whereas in 2015 it handled 23,46,909 containers, with a year-on-year growth of 15.9%.
The drop raises the question of how long the port could maintain the operational growth without investment in infrastructure.
Development stuck in planning and paperwork
According to experts, a port’s efficiency mainly depends on the development of three infrastructural facilities -- jetties, yards and instruments.
Sources said, in the last 10 years, the port authorities have prepared projects to build four terminals, but none of them saw the light of day.
The activities of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) remained confined to paperwork for the last decade. However, groundbreaking for construction of the Patenga Container Terminal was inaugurated recently.
There are 19 jetties in the port, where 15-16 vessels can berth every day, making a number of vessels wait at the outer anchorage that led to extra cost for the businesses and creating risk of vessel accidents.
In the last 12 years, the CPA did not buy any gantry cranes. Earlier in 2005, it purchased four gantry cranes, of which two are not operating since June last year following an accident.
To solve vessel congestion, the port authorities have decided to buy six gantry cranes but it is uncertain when these would be added to the port infrastructure soon.
According to the port sources, the CPA and Chinese firm Zhengdua Heavy Industries Co signed an agreement five months ago to deliver six rail-mounted gantry quay cranes at a cost of Tk344 crore. The cranes are supposed to be delivered within 18 months from the signing date.
The gantry cranes are expected to arrive at the port by April or May 2019 and will be installed at the New Mooring Container Terminal.
Moreover, no container yard was set up since the installation of North Container Yard in 2008.
Both business persons and experts have emphasized on the infrastructure development of the Chittagong port as the government is eyeing to fetch $60 billion export earnings by 2021 and the import of goods has risen for the country’s development projects.
They have suggested the port authorities develop facilities by constructing more jetties and procure lots of cargo-handling equipment to cope with the operational growth.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) Professor of Economics Dr Muinul Islam said: “The development of Chittagong port has been neglected over the years. The port’s infrastructural efficiency has not been expanded. Alternative projects to reduce the pressure on the port have also not been implemented either. These have affected not only the port, but also the country’s overall economy.”
“Over the years, the port’s operational growth has expanded, but the infrastructural expansion was stuck,” said Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Mahbubul Alam.
He emphasized on construction of a bay terminal to resolve the problem.
“There is a permanent channel at the proposed bay terminal and there is a draught of more than nine metres, where mother vessels (vessels carrying 50,000 tonnes of goods) could easily berth at the jetties.”
All types of transportation facilities would be available at the terminal, said Mahbubul.
Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) told the Dhaka Tribune: “We cannot achieve $60 billion export target by 2021 if the infrastructure development of the port is not done immediately.”
He also stressed for the enhancement of authoritative power of the CPA Management Board to make the port related decision independently.
“The rules and regulations regarding the port activities need to be revised and updated like other regional port authorities,” he said.
The FBCCI chief also said the Chittagong port is lagging 10 years behind in terms of construction of jetties, terminals and installation of equipment.
“If the CPA has failed to expand its infrastructure capacity within shortest possible time, the entire economy of the country will be hurt.”
CPA Member for Administration and Planning Md Zafar Alam said: “We have taken a master plan including short, medium and long term planning for the development of the port infrastructure.”
“During 2016-17 fiscal, we bought 46 equipment including three rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) for container handling facility and we have planned to buy 251 categories of equipment by the current fiscal.”
The CPA has taken other infrastructure projects including installing new container terminal like Bay Terminal and Patenga Container Terminal, said Zafar.
He further said the implementation of development plans will commence in 2019 with the construction of Patenga Container Terminal along with three container jetties and one oil-container jetty.
He also emphasized on completing customs activities outside the port area as an intermediate solution to the port’s infrastructure problem.
“Across the world, the customs clearances are done outside the port, but in our country it’s done on the port premises, which decreases the port’s efficiency.”
“More offdock and warehouse should be installed and unstuffing of containers should be shifted elsewhere from the port’s main yards,” Zafar added.
There are 19 jetties in the port, where 15-16 vessels can berth every day, making a number of vessels wait at the outer anchorage that led to extra cost for the businesses and creating risk of vessel accidents.
In the last 12 years, the CPA did not buy any gantry cranes. Earlier in 2005, it purchased four gantry cranes, of which two are not operating since June last year following an accident.
To solve vessel congestion, the port authorities have decided to buy six gantry cranes but it is uncertain when these would be added to the port infrastructure soon.
According to the port sources, the CPA and Chinese firm Zhengdua Heavy Industries Co signed an agreement five months ago to deliver six rail-mounted gantry quay cranes at a cost of Tk344 crore. The cranes are supposed to be delivered within 18 months from the signing date.
The gantry cranes are expected to arrive at the port by April or May 2019 and will be installed at the New Mooring Container Terminal.
Moreover, no container yard was set up since the installation of North Container Yard in 2008.
Both business persons and experts have emphasized on the infrastructure development of the Chittagong port as the government is eyeing to fetch $60 billion export earnings by 2021 and the import of goods has risen for the country’s development projects.
They have suggested the port authorities develop facilities by constructing more jetties and procure lots of cargo-handling equipment to cope with the operational growth.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) Professor of Economics Dr Muinul Islam said: “The development of Chittagong port has been neglected over the years. The port’s infrastructural efficiency has not been expanded. Alternative projects to reduce the pressure on the port have also not been implemented either. These have affected not only the port, but also the country’s overall economy.”
“Over the years, the port’s operational growth has expanded, but the infrastructural expansion was stuck,” said Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Mahbubul Alam.
He emphasized on construction of a bay terminal to resolve the problem.
“There is a permanent channel at the proposed bay terminal and there is a draught of more than nine metres, where mother vessels (vessels carrying 50,000 tonnes of goods) could easily berth at the jetties.”
All types of transportation facilities would be available at the terminal, said Mahbubul.
Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) told the Dhaka Tribune: “We cannot achieve $60 billion export target by 2021 if the infrastructure development of the port is not done immediately.”
He also stressed for the enhancement of authoritative power of the CPA Management Board to make the port related decision independently.
“The rules and regulations regarding the port activities need to be revised and updated like other regional port authorities,” he said.
The FBCCI chief also said the Chittagong port is lagging 10 years behind in terms of construction of jetties, terminals and installation of equipment.
“If the CPA has failed to expand its infrastructure capacity within shortest possible time, the entire economy of the country will be hurt.”
CPA Member for Administration and Planning Md Zafar Alam said: “We have taken a master plan including short, medium and long term planning for the development of the port infrastructure.”
“During 2016-17 fiscal, we bought 46 equipment including three rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) for container handling facility and we have planned to buy 251 categories of equipment by the current fiscal.”
The CPA has taken other infrastructure projects including installing new container terminal like Bay Terminal and Patenga Container Terminal, said Zafar.
He further said the implementation of development plans will commence in 2019 with the construction of Patenga Container Terminal along with three container jetties and one oil-container jetty.
He also emphasized on completing customs activities outside the port area as an intermediate solution to the port’s infrastructure problem.
“Across the world, the customs clearances are done outside the port, but in our country it’s done on the port premises, which decreases the port’s efficiency.”
“More offdock and warehouse should be installed and unstuffing of containers should be shifted elsewhere from the port’s main yards,” Zafar added.