Ctg Port posts record surplus despite global economic slowdown

Chittagong Port, Bangladesh's principal maritime gateway and a key driver of the country's external trade, has recorded strong growth in revenue, cargo handling and container throughput despite continuing uncertainty in the global economy.

According to data released by the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), the port generated a revenue surplus of Tk 42.87 billion during the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025-26, marking a sharp increase from previous years. After taxes and other statutory payments, the net surplus stood at Tk 22.28 billion.

Port officials attributed the strong performance to improved operational efficiency, cost-control measures, infrastructure upgrades and the introduction of user-friendly policies aimed at enhancing service quality and increasing port capacity.

Between July 2025 and May 2026, the port earned Tk 60.77 billion in revenue, up from Tk 49.52 billion during the corresponding period a year earlier, representing growth of more than 22 per cent.

An analysis of the port's financial performance over the past five years shows a steady rise in revenue surpluses. In 2025, the CPA recorded revenue of Tk 54.60 billion against expenditure of Tk 23.18 billion, resulting in a surplus of Tk 31.43 billion—the highest annual figure at the time.

The surplus stood at Tk 29.23 billion in 2024, Tk 21.43 billion in 2023, Tk 17.34 billion in 2022 and Tk 16.33 billion in 2021.

The authority said strict controls on unnecessary spending helped keep expenditure growth within single digits over the past two years. Revenue expenditure rose by 7.61 per cent in 2025 and 6.50 per cent in 2024.

Operational performance also reached record levels in 2025. Container handling increased by 4.07 per cent to a record 3.409 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), compared with 3.276 million TEUs in 2024. The increase amounted to 133,442 TEUs year-on-year.

Cargo handling posted even stronger growth. The port handled 138.15 million tonnes of import and export cargo in 2025, up from 123.98 million tonnes the previous year, an increase of more than 14 million tonnes.

Ship handling also reached a historic high, with 4,273 vessels calling at the port in 2025, compared with 3,857 in 2024, representing a growth of 10.5 per cent.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com