Country's first breakwaters at Matarbari port

The country's first deep sea port in Matarbari, Cox's Bazar is scheduled to start its journey in 2026, but the breakwaters – barriers built in the sea to protect the harbour from the force of waves – have already been completed.

A 2.15 km breakwater has been constructed on the north side and another 670 meter long one on the south side of the approach channel and two jetties of Matarbari coal-fired power plant.

The two jetties constructed under the Matarbari power plant project have already received over 100 ships carrying goods for the power plant. Besides, a 16 metre deep and 14 km long channel have also been constructed under the project.

The breakwaters have been constructed with stone blocks to deflect waves, so that ships docked at the jetty will stay steady, allowing a smooth loading and unloading of goods. They will also reduce the risk of filling the channel with silt.

Ships at the Chattogram port jetties carry 2,000 TEUs of containers on an average, whereas Matarbari port will be able to accommodate ships carrying 8,000-10,000 TEUs of containers.

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury recently said in a ceremony at Chattogram port that Matarbari deep sea port will start operation in 2026. On 22 January, the members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Shipping visited the project area and expressed their hope to launch the port by the same deadline.

Earlier, Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan told TBS that once opened, Matarbari port will become a regional hub of trade and commerce.

Officials involved in the Matarbari deep sea port project said the tender process for its construction was opened in November 2022 and a contractor will be appointed for the work soon.

Up to 350 meter long container ships will be able to dock at the 460 meter long jetty and 200m long ships will be able to dock at the 300 meter long jetty at the deep sea port. The 16 metre deep channel will allow ships with 15 metre draft (the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull) to enter the port.

The construction of a 27 km connecting road from Matarbari terminal to the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway will start in March this year, said sources.

The cost of development of Matarbari port has been estimated at Tk17,777 crore. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will lend Tk12,892 crore, the CPA will provide Tk2,213 crore, and the government Tk2,671 crore for the construction work.

The Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) is implementing the 1,200 MW Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Project. The cost of the project approved in 2014 was estimated at Tk35,984 crore but it was later raised to Tk51,855 crore. The project is scheduled to end in July 2026.

CPGCBL Executive Director Abul Kalam Azad told TBS, "So far 75% of the power plant project has been completed. We are able to unload imported goods very quickly using two jetties.  Big ships carrying 60,000 to 80,000 metric tons of coal will reach the port jetty next March. Power generation will begin in late 2025 or early 2026."

For the first time on 29 December 2020, the Matarbari jetty received a foreign ship carrying equipment for the project, and on 15 July 2021, it saw the second one. So far, 112 ships brought materials for the coal power plant project.

Chattogram port has provided pilotage services, tugboat support, radio control and vessel traffic management information system (VTMIS), international ship and port facility security code (ISPS), and stevedoring services to these ships.

About 1.37 lakh tons of goods have been handled in these ships, from which the port received Tk6.84 crore revenue.