Elevated expressway, Patenga container terminal open in Ctg tomorrow

Chattogram will witness the grand opening of two transformative infrastructure projects today: the city's first elevated expressway, and the much-anticipated Patenga Container Terminal of Chattogram port. These projects, along with several others, are poised to revolutionise the port city's transportation and trade landscape.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate a total of 16 development projects in Chattogram through a video conference on Tuesday.

Three of the projects have been implemented by the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) – the Tk4,299 crore elevated expressway named after late mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Tk218 crore Bakalia access road, and Tk352 crore Bayezid link road.

CDA Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan Bin Shams told The Business Standard that the expressway will slash travel time by 75%, revolutionising the city's transportation network.

"Vehicles from the city's Chandgaon, Bakalia, and Bayezid areas will be able to directly access the airport or the Bangabandhu Tunnel via the flyover, significantly reducing travel time from an hour and a half to a mere 15-20 minutes," he said.

Omar Faruk, secretary of the Chittagong Port Authority, told TBS that aside from inaugurating the Tk1,229 crore Patenga container terminal, the prime minister will also unveil a master plan for the Bay Terminal project, a transformative expansion of Chattogram Port.

"With plans to construct three terminals, the Bay Terminal project will boast a capacity six times greater than the current Chattogram port, positioning it as a leading maritime hub in the region," he said.

One of the three terminals will be constructed by the Chittagong Port Authority itself, while the remaining two will be developed by the international maritime giants PSA Singapore and DP World of the UAE.

"Upon completion, the Bay Terminal will be able to accommodate up to 30-35 ships simultaneously, significantly enhancing the port's efficiency and capacity to handle global trade," Omar Faruk added.

Expressway to be ready for traffic in two months

While the 15.20km elevated expressway will be officially inaugurated today, vehicles will have to wait for an additional two months to access the expressway.

With construction progress reaching approximately 85%, the expressway connecting Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong is nearing completion.

The main 14km flyover extending up to Tigerpass has been completed, while the remaining flyover sections and 14 ramps from Tigerpass to Lalkhanbazar are still under construction.

Mahfuzur Rahman, project director and executive engineer of Chittagong Development Authority, told TBS, "This expressway will bring about a radical change to the transportation system of Chattogram. The Bahadarhat-Lalkhanbazar flyover will be connected with the elevated expressway."

Patenga container terminal to boost trade

After nearly 17 months of construction, the Patenga Container Terminal of Chattogram Port will see a grand inauguration today.
Chattogram Port, the vital hub for about 92% of the nation's sea-based import-export trade, currently operates through 19 jetties across three terminals: General Cargo Berth (GCB), Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT), and Newmooring Container Terminal (NCT). 

With the opening of the Patenga terminal, the total number of jetties will expand to 23.

To reach the main jetty of Chattogram Port, ships have to traverse a river route of approximately 14 kilometres from the mouth of the River Karnaphuli. However, the distance from the Patenga container terminal to the Karnaphuli estuary is only 6 kilometres.

FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam highlights the positive impact of the new terminal on the country's import and export trade, urging the prompt initiation of 100% operational activities.

Port officials say that multiple foreign operators, including DP World, APM Terminal, PSA Singapore, and the Red Sea Gateway Terminal International (RSGTI) – a concern of Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), operator of Saudi Arabia's largest terminal facility at Jeddah Islamic Port, have shown interest in managing the terminal.

Given Bangladesh's diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, the government opted for RSGTI. The profit-sharing arrangement between Chittagong Port and RSGTI will be disclosed post-agreement.

Md Omar Faruk, secretary of Chittagong Port Authority Secretary, said the terminal is fully prepared for operational activities, with the operator recruitment process nearing completion. The commencement of operations is imminent following the agreement with RSGTI.

The Patenga terminal has three container jetties and one dolphin oil jetty, allowing for the simultaneous berthing of three container ships and one oil tanker. It is anticipated to handle 450,000 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) containers annually, enhancing Chattogram Port's ship handling and container holding capacity.