Ctg port sets single-day delivery record; freight train increased to ease backlog

The country's main sea port Chattogram has achieved a milestone by delivering 5,100 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) of containers in the past 24 hours from 8am on Tuesday till 8am on Wednesday.

This was the highest delivery in a single day at Chattogram port, its Secretary Omar Faruk told The Business Standard.

The record comes following huge congestion at the port owing to disruptions caused by the nationwide unrest and subsequent internet outages since mid-July.  

Faruk said the previous record for a single-day delivery was 5,000 TEUs. After the new record, he said, "If such a pace continues, the container congestion at the port will soon normalise."

Data from the port suggests that the average daily container delivery at Chattogram port during normal times ranges between 3,500 to 4,000 TEUs. On Tuesday, the container yard held 43,578 TEU containers, which decreased by 1,480 TEUs to 42,098 TEUs the next day.

Shipping secretary inspects congestion

Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Md Mostafa Kamal on Wednesday inspected the container congestion at Chattogram port.

He toured the port's yard and jetty and held a meeting with port officials to discuss the overall situation.

A senior port official who attended the meeting told TBS that the secretary's visit was in line with instructions from the chief adviser of the interim government to ensure the smooth operation of the port. 

Port officials assured the shipping secretary that within a week, the congestion of containers, ships, and other items would return to normal.

Port Secretary Faruk said the shipping secretary had underscored the need to increase the number of trains to boost container transport by rail.

"The issue of securing the National Board of Revenue's approval for the delivery of containers destined for Dhaka ICD from Chattogram port will be raised at the highest levels of the government," the shipping secretary told the meeting as quoted by Faruk.

Meanwhile, the Chattogram Port Authority on Wednesday held a meeting with various stakeholders, including representatives from Railways and Customs, with a focus on increasing the number of trains carrying containers bound for the Dhaka ICD.

The shipping secretary also urged the swift implementation of this directive.

Freight train movement has increased

Following the meeting with the port authority, the railway authorities said they have already increased the number of goods trains to and from Chattogram port. Usually, 3 trains leave the port for Dhaka ICD every day, but on Tuesday, it was doubled.

Chief Yard Master of Railway Chattogram Goods Port Yard Abdul Malek told TBS that there were calls for 6 container trains at the port on Wednesday too.

Usually, 800 container slots are supposed to be carried by train from Chattogram port to Dhaka. However, due to the recent train service disruption, it has now increased to about 2,600 TEUs. 

In addition, export-laden containers are still putting pressure on depots, with around 15,000 TEUs currently stored in 19 depots, compared to the usual 8,000 TEUs, raising concern among depot owners.