BNP-Jamaat blockade: Chattogram port's container deliveries plunge by 32% in a single day

The ongoing three-day blockade initiated by the BNP-Jamaat has resulted in a significant setback for Chattogram port, with container deliveries dropping 32% in a single day.

In addition to this, container handling on ships has witnessed a decline of 21%.

Port authorities and users attribute the decline to a shortage of cargo vehicles, as transport workers are hesitant to carry goods via road during the blockade.

Consequently, importers have scaled back their container deliveries from the port.

According to port authorities, container deliveries and handling data are measured from 8:00am to 8:00am the following day.

On 1 November, which corresponds to 31 October, there were 2,788 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) containers delivered and 7,051 TEU containers handled within this timeframe.

Comparatively, container deliveries for the day leading up to the blockade, starting from 8:00am on 30 October to 8:00 am on 31 October, stood at 4,105 TEU, with 8,957 TEU containers handled during the same period.

Secretary of Chittagong Port Authority, Md Omar Faruk, acknowledged the impact of the blockade on port deliveries, although he emphasised that all other port operations remain unaffected, with containers and goods being unloaded from ships as per schedule.

Moreover, an earlier day-long strike on October 29 had already resulted in a reduction of container deliveries at Chattogram port, with 385 TEU fewer containers delivered compared to the previous day of the hartal.

Fare hikes stem flow of goods

Under normal circumstances, Chattogram port typically handles more than 3,000 to 4,000 containers daily, with approximately 5,000 to 6,000 trucks, covered vans, and prime movers entering the port to collect these goods.

However, the ongoing blockade has given rise to a transport crisis, leading to increased transport fares.

For instance, the fare for each covered van traveling from the port to Dhaka has surged from Tk2,000 to a maximum of Tk 7,000.

Importers can keep containers in the port yard for four days following unloading from ships without incurring any rent charges. After this initial grace period, importers must pay $6 per day for a 20-foot container during the first week.

The daily fine subsequently doubles to $12 for the second week and escalates to $24 from the 21st day.

For 40-foot containers, the charges follow a similar doubling pattern.

Port users have voiced concerns about the transportation crisis brought about by the blockade, which has adversely affected goods delivery at the port.

Traders also face port store rent charges if they fail to take timely delivery.

Mahfuzul Haque Shah, director of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed apprehension about the blockade's consequences on the country's supply chain.

He highlighted the daily increase in freight fares and warned of potential adverse effects on the economy if this trend persists.