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The Chittagong Port handled over 2.8 million 20-foot containers in the last fiscal year, up 12.19 per cent over the previous year.
The prime seaport handled a total of 2,808,554 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers in 2017-18 against 2,503,471 containers in 2016-17.
Md Zafar Alam, member (admin and planning) of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), said the container handling hits a record high in the last fiscal, as the number of containers is higher by 305,083, compared to the previous year.
The surge in container handling is mainly due to the increase in import and export volume, with more containers being routed through the port, he said.
Besides, the CPA has extended its container yard from 30,000 TEUs to 50,000 TEUs, added more equipment to jetties and expedited the process of container scanning at jetty gates.
It also raised ship's draft from 9.0 to 9.5 metres and length over all (LOA) of vessels enabling longer vessels to berth in the GCB (general cargo berths).
The prime seaport's container-handling capacity has increased by 1.3 million (13 lakh) TEUs in six years since 2012.
As the port sees growing volume of cargoes, it has taken a number of projects to enhance infrastructure facilities to cope up with the rapid growth in export and import.
CPA Chairman Commodore Zulfiquer Aziz told the FE that the port has a long way to go as there is no alternative to meeting the challenge of handling more and more containers.
Thus, the Chittagong Port is contributing to the country's advancement and development aimed at becoming a fast-growing economy in the Southeast Asia region, he said.
Commodore Aziz said the government has extended its full support in making the Chittagong Port more vibrant and building its cargo-handling capacity.
To exceed its current trend of growth at 15 per cent a year on an average, the port has undertaken six container terminal development projects.
Of the six projects, the construction of Patenga Container Terminal is progressing fast and is expected to be complete by 2019, said the CPA chairman.
Other projects are Laldia Multipurpose Terminal, Bay Container Terminal, Karnaphuli Container Terminal, Mirsarai jetty for Mirsarai Economic Zone and Matarbari Port for the Coal-based Mega Power Generation plant at Matarbari, he said.
The port authority has recently installed a rail-mounted gantry crane, 11 rubber-tyred gantry cranes, four straddle carriers and five container movers, he said.
The process of procurement of six ship-to-shore gantry cranes and other handling equipment is underway and the gantry cranes are expected to reach Chittagong Port by October, he added.