KHULNA, Dec 3: Mongla Sea Port, the second largest seaport of the country, has earned Tk 30,241.68 crore in the financial year 2022-23, said an official of Mongla Port Authority (MPA) on Friday.
In the FY year (2022-23), a total of 827 commercial ships and 99.05 lakh metric tonnes (MT) cargo were arrived while 26,583 TUS container were handled. A total of 13,576 vehicles were imported during the period, said the official.
"Mongla port will be turned into a smart port after the completion of a huge number of ongoing planning and development projects," said Md Makruzzaman, secretary of MPA, to The Daily Observer.
He said that the ongoing planning and development projects include "Procurement of vessels suitable for Mongla Port" with an estimated cost of Tk 767.25 crore, 'Modern waste and oil removal management at Mongla Port' with an estimated cost of Tk 401.24 crore, 'Upgradation of Mongla Port with an estimated cost of Tk 6,014.62 crore, 'Dredging of 216.09 lakh cubic metres of Pashur Channel in Inner Bar' with a cost of Taka 793.73 crore and 'Construction of two incomplete Jetties of Mongla Port with an estimated cost of Tk 418.00 crore.
After completion of the ongoing projects, the annual capacity of Mongla Port will achieve 8.5 draft depth in the channel. It will even be possible to handle ships of 10 metre depth at Mongla Port.
Apart from these, the major future Development Projects of MPA (2025 to 2040) include 'Collection of modern container and cargo handling equipment, Construction of car yard at Jaimanirgol, Construction of multi-purpose jetty at Joymanirgol, Construction of helipad and hangar with all facilities and purchase of helicopters, Procurement of high-capacity rescue craft, Construction of Container Terminal at Joymanirgol (Phase 2), and Collection of navigational aids, he added.
After resuming in power in 2009, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave priority and importance to the development of Mongla Port and started working on the development and modernisation of the port.
As a result, the Port of Mongla gradually became dynamic, for which the import of foreign ships and cargo-handling vehicles are making records every year, said Talukder Abdul Khaleque, mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) while speaking as the chief guest on the occasion of 73rd founding anniversary of Mongla Port on Friday.
"Mongla will be a world-class safe, modern and smart seaport." he added.
"In the last 15 years, we have completed a massive development project. As a result of dredging the Pashur River, the Liberian flag ship MV Mana arrived directly at Mongla Port for the first time in the history of the port with 60,500 metric tonnes of coal, said Rear Admiral Mir Ershad Ali, Chairman of Mongla Port Authority while presiding over at the function of 73rd founding anniversary of the port.
