Container handling of import cargos in Chattogram Port falls in January
The declining trend in container handling in the Chattogram Port amid the recession in world trade and the dollar crisis in the country has continued as container handling of imported goods decreased in January.
However, the amount of container handling of export goods increased by 1,198 TEUs in the first month of the year.
According to Chattogram Port data, the port handled 87,984 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of import cargo and 62,727 TEUs of export cargo in January, which were 89,459 TEUs and 61,529 TEUs respectively in December 2022.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
In January 2022, 1,31,525 TEUs containers of import cargo and 73,542 TEUs containers of export cargo were handled. Imports in January 2023 decreased by 43,542 TEUs compared to January 2022. During the same period, exports decreased by 10,815 TEUs.
Chattogram Port officials said that due to the Russia-Ukraine war, there is a slowdown in world trade. Due to the dollar crisis, the government restricted the import of goods. As a result, imports continued to decline from mid-2022. The situation is the same in other seaports of the world.
Traders said that there is a continuation of import reduction in January 2023, which is negative for the country's economy. There is no immediate relief from this crisis until the war situation in Russia and Ukraine normalises.
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mahbubul Alam told TBS that the banks are not able to provide LC as per the demand. As a result, the import volume has decreased compared to last year, affecting container handling.
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.
In 2022, the total container handling at Chattogram Port was 31,33,020 TEUs containers and in 2021, which was 32,14,548 TEUs.
