TDS Desk:

Chattogram Port has successfully tackled the “unprecedented” backlogs caused by curfews, internet shutdowns, public holidays, and subsequent flooding in July and August, achieving an impressive 6.9% growth in container handling during the first four months of the current fiscal year.

As a result of this recovery, the country’s premier seaport, responsible for handling 98% of containerised export-import goods, has reported a significant improvement compared to the same period last year.

The number of containers stored in the port yards has significantly reduced, decreasing from 45,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) – about 85% of its storage capacity of 53,581 TEUs – to 32,480 TEUs as of Saturday.

Moreover, vessel waiting times at the port’s outer anchorage have been reduced from 6-7 days to just 1-2 days, with some ships receiving immediate berthing, according to port sources.

Port officials attributed the improvement to innovative measures and the cooperation of stakeholders.

The backlog was primarily exacerbated by repeated curfews, internet shutdowns, and public holidays imposed by the then fascist Awami League government in an attempt to suppress an Anti-Discrimination Student Movement during July and August. Additionally, students staged strikes and non-cooperation movements to press for their demands.

The delivery and transportation of goods to and from the port and private inland container depots (ICDs) came to a near standstill during this period, causing containers to pile up at the port yards and severely impacting the nation’s export-import activities.

The situation was further aggravated when record flooding in Feni disrupted traffic on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway for three days in late August.

According to the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), from July to October of FY25, the port handled 1,101,917 TEUs, compared to 1,030,757 TEUs during the corresponding period last year, marking a growth of 6.9%.

In total, the port handled 71,160 more TEUs than last year, with 1,023,739 TEUs recorded in the same period of FY23.

However, bulk cargo handling declined, with 39,116,502 tonnes managed in July-October this fiscal compared to 40,616,283 tonnes last year – a drop of 1,499,781 tonnes. In FY23, bulk cargo handling stood at 39,829,352 tonnes.

During the same period, 1,281 ships arrived at Chattogram Port, 112 fewer than the previous year. A total of 1,393 vessels docked last year, while the figure was 1,460 in the first four months of FY22.

The CPA reported earnings of Tk1,643.85 crore over this July-October, reflecting a substantial growth of 21.85% compared to the same period last year. The port’s performance over the first 10 months of the current calendar year also showed improvement, handling 2,717,214 TEUs and 102,159,026 tonnes of cargo compared to 2,528,157 TEUs and 100,646,352 tonnes of cargo last year.

CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk credited the recovery to the port’s expertise and strategic measures to expedite container handling and delivery.  He noted that while fewer vessels arrived this year, the increasing use of larger vessels with higher container capacities contributed to the rise in container handling.

Khairul Alam Suzan, director of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA), highlighted the role of modern equipment and improved efficiency in overcoming the challenges of July and August.

He added that the surge in container handling since September was partly due to increased garment exports for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and other festivities. Delays in production and export caused by the July-August crisis were also factored into the surge, he said.

Suzan, who is also vice president of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association (BAFFA), expressed confidence that the port’s prompt services would significantly boost the nation’s trade performance.