Denmark’s APM Terminals to make record $550m investment in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is set to receive a record $550 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from Denmark’s global terminal operator APM Terminals, marking the largest European investment in the country’s history, according to the Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA).

Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Wednesday afternoon, PPPA Chief Executive Officer Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said APM will build a world-class container terminal in Laldia, Chattogram, with an investment equivalent to Tk 67 billion.

The company will bear the entire project cost.

“This is the biggest-ever single investment from Europe in Bangladesh,” Ashik said, adding that APM will sign the agreement next week. A high-level delegation from APM, along with a Danish minister, is scheduled to visit Dhaka to attend the signing ceremony.

Upon signing, APM will pay Bangladesh a Tk 2.5 billion signing bonus, he added.

The Laldia terminal, with the motto ‘Not for Sale – For Success and Growth’, will be capable of handling vessels twice the size of those currently entering Chattogram Port. Its minimum annual capacity will be 800,000 containers.

The construction is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed by 2029.

APM will operate the terminal for 30 years, sharing profits with Bangladesh on a per-container (TEU) basis. After the concession period, the government will review key performance indicators (KPIs) to decide whether to retain the operator or assign it to another entity.

The project is expected to create 500–700 jobs locally, with opportunities for Bangladeshis to work at APM’s other global terminals.

“APM is not investing purely for commercial purposes; their interest in Bangladesh also stems from a broader social commitment,” Ashik said.

Once gets operational, he said, the Laldia Terminal will boost the country’s cargo handling capacity by 40%. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has already been provided with a roadmap to prepare for the increased trade flow.

To manage higher transport demand, the Roads and Highways Department has prepared a master plan to balance container movement — with 70–80% via road and the rest distributed between river and rail routes.

The government is also working to fully activate the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal.

Ashik said the landmark European investment has been discussed with political parties, all of whom have responded positively.

Once launched, the Laldia Container Terminal will operate 24/7, and Bangladesh’s overall port capacity is expected to grow sixfold within a decade, he added.