YoY container handling drops by 67,787teus in February

Container handling at the Chattogram Port, the country's main seaport, decreased by 67,787 teus in February year-on-year due to declined imports following the dollar crisis.

According to the Chattogram Port data, import, export and empty container handling in February was 1,68,074 teus of containers which in February 2022 was 2,35,861 teus.

Of the total number of containers handled in February, 77,841 teus were import containers, 23,884 teus were export containers while 56,224 teus were empty ones.

According to port data, container handling in January also dropped by a similar figure year-on-year – 67,419 teus.

Abdullah Jahir, CEO of Saif Maritime, said that there is a slowdown in global trade due to the Russia-Ukraine war. 

"Due to the dollar crisis, the government restricted the import of goods. Imports of luxury goods have declined. As a result, imports continued to decline from mid-2022," he said.

Around 92% of the country's import and export trade is done through the Chattogram port. About 98% of the cargo containers transported through all the seaports of Bangladesh are transported through this seaport. About 25% of the goods imported and exported through Chattogram port are transported by containers.

According to the port's data, in 2022 the total container handling in the Chattogram port was 31,33,020 teus of containers. In 2021 the number was 32,14,548 teus.