Even before launching deep sea port, 112 ships berth at Matarbari jetties in 2 years

Matarbari deep sea port in Cox's Bazar is scheduled to open in 2026, but 112 cargo ships have already arrived at the Matarbari coal-fired power plant's jetty in the last two years.

Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Secretary Omor Faruk said around Tk6.84 crore revenue has been collected from the 112 ships that docked at the power plant's jetties.

Abu Morshed Chowdhury Khoka, president of Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce Industry, said collecting revenue from ships anchored at the jetty even before the official launch of the deep sea port was a unique record.

The idea of the deep sea port in Matarbari in Maheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar was conceived after the government started the coal-based power plant project, which required a wider channel and a jetty to bring in fuel and equipment for the plant.

Initially, there was a plan to build only a coal jetty but when the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) started implementing the project, it saw the potential for a full-fledged commercial port.

In March 2020, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the construction of a deep sea port in Matarbari involving Tk17,777 crore.

On 22 January this year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Shipping visited the Matarbari deep sea port project area.

Asheq Ullah Rafiq, member of parliament from Cox's Bazar-2 constituency, said currently the process of scrutinising the tenders submitted for the deep sea port project is going on and the work will be started after a tender is passed.

Officials concerned said Matarbari deep sea port will turn Bangladesh into a regional hub and create new possibilities in the import-export trade of the country.

Mizanur Rahman, executive engineer of matarbari coal power plant, said the country's first deep sea port is being built in Matarbari union in Maheshkhali upazila, which is an island. A 14.3-km-long, 250-metre-wide, and 18.5-metre-deep channel has been constructed for the Matarbari power plant's jetties. Later it was widened by another 100 metre to implement the commercial port project.

He said all the big ships carrying machinery for the power plant came through the channel, which has the capacity to accommodate any large commercial ship.

According to the Chattogram Port Authority, the first commercial ship arrived at Matarbari on 29 December 2020, after the coal-fired power plant's first jetty was completed. Then a ship berthed for the first time at the second jetty of the power plant on 15 July 2021.

CPA Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan said, "If the current situation arising from the Russia-Ukraine war and the pandemic return to normal, it is expected that the Matarbari deep sea port terminal will go into operation by 2026."