Patenga Container Terminal likely to go into operation in Jan

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 3: The Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) of the Chattogram Port Authority is expected to go into operation in January next year.
Muhammad Omar Faruk, Secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), told the Daily Observer, "We shall begin the operation of the PCT in January next year under the CPA management."
Meanwhile, the appointment of a foreign operator under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) has been delayed due to dispute about the total handling quantity of containers annually.
The Shipping Ministry had decided to operate PCT under Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Accordingly, Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) of Saudi Arabia, DP World (Dubai Port) of Dubai have already expressed their willingness to operate the PCT. Besides, another foreign operator of Denmark, Maersk APL has also expressed their interest to operate the PCT.CPA sources said, the annual container handling capacity of the PCT is 4.45 lakh TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of containers. The Chattogram Port handled 3 million TEUs of containers in the 2019-20 fiscal year. The rate of increased is 2.9 per cent. In the previous fiscal year of 2018-19, the Chattogram Port handled 2.919 million.
The rate of increased was 4 per cent. The project was scheduled to be completed by December last year. But the time has been extended to June this year which is fully be completed by December this year.
The vessel may take berth in the PCT within the shortest possible time because the terminal being very near to estuary of Karnaphuli River.
The cost of project is estimated at Tk 1,532 crore within the target. The PCT is situated over 32 acres of land with three berths of total 600 metres length and three vessels with 9.5 draft vessels will be able to take berth at a time in the terminal, he said.
The terminal will also have a dolphin jetty of 220 metres long for handling of fuel. The terminal project include; 128 square metres freight station, 1750 metres long custom bonded area, 2500 metres long railway track, with CPA office, Flyover, security post, guest house, fuel station,  labour shed etc.
To cater the demand of the increasing trend of containerisation, the CPA started the construction works of Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) with the assistance of Bangladesh Army.