Saudi company likely to operate Patenga Container Terminal

The Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), a Saudi Arabian company, is likely to get the work as the operator of the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) as the government has finalised its decision in this regard.

CPA Secretary Omar Faruk said, "The Private Public Partnership (PPP) authority is dealing with the issue of appointment of the operator and the Ministry of Shipping will appoint the operator soon."

"Meanwhile, CPA has appointed the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as Transaction Advisor (TA) for laying out the terms and conditions to appoint operators for PCT. Once the report is submitted by the IFC, the final decision regarding the operator will be made," he added.

He also said the terminal is now ready for operation. Once the operator is appointed, it is expected that the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) will start its formal operations this year.

However, It may take some more time to complete the appointment process and bring the equipment for the full-scale operation of the terminal, he added.

Omar Faruk also said, "The construction cost of Patenga Container Terminal is Tk 12.99 billion. The CPA funded the project. A total of three container ships with 190-metre length and 9.5-metre draft can berth at PCT at a time. Besides, one oil tanker with 290-metre length can be berthed at the Dolphin Jetty of the terminal."

Sources said that in 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between RSGT and the Ministry of Shipping as a result of government-to-government negotiations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Shipping finalised the selection of the operator for PCT in August last year.

Meanwhile, a total of five terminal operators -- A. P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk), Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), Dubai Port World (DP World), Adani Port and Special Economic Zone Ltd. and PSA International -- showed interest in becoming the operator of the new terminal.

The terminal will be equipped with modern handling equipment such as Key Gantry Cranes (KGC) and Rubber Gantry Cranes (RGC). The vessels can berth at the terminal within a short time as it is close to the estuary of Karnaphuli River. The PCT stretches over 32 acres of land.

The CPA had received formal administrative approval for the construction of the container terminal in July 2017.

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