Chittagong Port Authority to extend Saif Powertec's NCT contract for another 6 months
The authority also plans to appoint a foreign operator through an open tender process
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is preparing to appoint a new operator for the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and in the meantime it intends to extend Saif Powertec's contract for another six months.
The CPA plans to appoint a foreign terminal operator for NCT through an open tender process.
Speaking to The Business Standard, CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk said, "The contract with Saif Powertec will expire on 7 January. While the open tender process is ongoing, terminal operations cannot be halted, so Saif Powertec will continue to manage the terminal under existing terms and rates. The CPA will extend Saif Powertec's contract for another six months through the direct procurement process."
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CPA officials said a proposal has already been submitted to the Ministry of Shipping to seek approval for issuing tenders under the Open Tender Method (OTM) to appoint a new operator for the terminal.
Given the nearing expiration of Saif Powertec's contract and the need for more time to finalise the open tender process, the CPA board has decided to extend the current contract for another six months.
According to port officials, the previous government had aimed to lease the terminal to a foreign operator under a government-to-government agreement. For this purpose, the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority had been tasked with negotiating with Dubai-based DP World, they said.
The New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) consists of five berths capable of accommodating ships up to 200 metres in length with a 10-metre draft. It includes a 292,287-square-metre container storage yard, 700 reefer plugs for refrigerated containers, and has an annual handling capacity of 1.19 million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units).
