ASIA

New terminal capacity in Bangladesh

22 years ago

Chittagong Port Authority and the China Harbour Engineering Group have signed an agreement for the construction of the New Mooring Container Terminal at the port. Phase I, which will involve the building of a 1000 metre long quay and associated container terminal, will require development of a 22ha site at a cost of $58m, although the entire project will eventually cost $131m to implement. Work began on in February and is scheduled to last 30 months. The 500,000TEU capacity terminal will be able to accommodate up to five feeder vessels at any one time and is forecast to generate $35m/year in income.

Overall, he notes, Indian ports are beginning to lack competitiveness compared to other regional players, which places the country’s overseas trade at risk.

Work is also due to start soon on a new inland container terminal at Pangaon on the Buriganga River, which will serve as a processing centre for containers shipped up river from Bangladesh’s two main ports of Chittagong and Mongla. The new facility, it is argued, will considerably reduce the cost of moving containers to the capital of Dhaka. Construction, which will take place on a 113,000 sq m site, will be undertaken by Chittagong Port Authority in partnership with Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority using internally generated funds.