Chattogram port authority plans to reduce vessels to ease congestion

As days go by, congestion at Chattogram Port continues to worsen, causing significant operational strain on port authorities. To manage the situation, the port has decided to reduce the number of authorised container vessels by 15.

However, stakeholders in the shipping sector are resisting the move, arguing that reducing vessels without improving port infrastructure is not a viable solution. They warn that a reduction in vessel numbers will make it difficult to handle the growing pressure of import and export activities.

Sources reveal that currently, container ships have to wait at the outer anchorage for up to 9–10 days before berthing. This delay is causing financial losses for shipping agents and damaging the port’s reputation. On 20 July, during a meeting with the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, the port authorities decided to cut the number of authorised vessels by 15. Although they were instructed to submit the list of vessels by 27 July, the association has yet to comply. Instead, they have sent a letter requesting the port authority to reconsider the decision.

According to port insiders, the number of container vessels authorised to operate through Chattogram Port currently stands at 118. At the beginning of 2025, this number was 96. At that time, ships had to wait just 1–2 days at the outer anchorage, and there were only 7–8 vessels in the queue. However, due to various ad hoc approvals, the total number of operating vessels rose to 118, leading to severe congestion. Now, both the waiting time and the number of ships in the queue have increased.

One key issue is that the port currently has berthing capacity for 16 vessels at a time, with 10 berths allocated for container ships. But the increase in vessel numbers means more ships are arriving than the available berths can handle, putting significant pressure on port operations.

In a letter to the port authority, the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association stated that reducing 15 vessels would result in a monthly reduction of 30,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in container handling, negatively impacting import and export trade. The association’s director, Khairul Alam Sujon, said that each vessel is hired under long-term contracts in accordance with international regulations, and such contracts cannot be cancelled overnight.

Chattogram Port Secretary Md Omar Faruq stated that a designated committee will soon begin work on this matter and will reach a rational decision after considering all relevant aspects.

source : daily-sun