CHATTOGRAM Aug 15: As container delivery has gained pace since it began on Monday at the Chattogram Port the container congestion situation has eased to a large extent on Thursday.
"The stockpile of container in Chattogram Port Yard has declined to 40,528 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) of container on Thursday from earlier 43,976 TEUs on August 12 last," said Mohammad Omar Faruk, Secretary of Chattogram Port Authority (CPA). Presently the maximum storage capacity of the port is 53,518 TEUs of containers. He hoped that there would no more congestion by next week.
He claimed that the CPA and Chattogram Customs House had taken several steps to speed up delivery of containers. "4,807 TEUs of containers had been delivered on Thursday while 5,100 TEUs were delivered on Wednesday.' Omar Faruk said.
CPA Secretary claimed that Chattogram had achieved a milestone by delivering 5,100 TEUs of containers on Wednesday. This was the highest delivery in a single day from Chattogram Port.
The average daily container delivery at Chattogram Port during normal times ranges between 3,500 to 4,000 TEUs.
Meanwhile, the operational activities of Chattogram Port had resumed on August 6 last in full swing after disruption of 18 days following the continuous movement of the anti-discrimination movement of the students. The operational activities of CPA had been disrupted since July 18 due to countrywide anti-quota movement of the students.
In most cases delivery of both cargo and containers has been disrupted severely. As a result, the shifting of both import and export has been halted. For this reason, the maritime trade of the country has been badly affected.
Earlier, the import and export containers had been stockpiled at Chattogram Port and off-dock due to the students movement and the interruption of internet service across the country.
The traffic movement on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway remained suspended and unloading of containers carrying imported goods from the port and the off-dock and the arrival of containers of export goods at the port were brought to a halt for complete shutdown.
The majority of Bangladesh's imports and exports make their way through Chattogram Port. Imported goods are delivered from the jetties and private off-docks at the port.
Export goods, particularly readymade garments, go from factories to private off-docks. After the Customs clearance process is complete, they are brought to the port and loaded onto ships. The off-dock has to ensure it has a sufficient supply of empty containers for the task. These activities are conducted at 19 private inland container depots, or off-docks, at the port.
Meanwhile, the Chattogram Port Authority and Chattogram Customs House have taken the initiative to maintain activities round the clock, even on weekends and public holidays, in a bid to reduce container congestion.
Container congestion is also being witnessed at the 19 private inland container depots, which handle around 90 per cent of the Chattogram Port's exports.
Although these depots normally have around 6,000 to 7,000 TEUs of export containers, they are currently storing nearly double the amount, averaging around 15,400 TEUs.
To release some pressure, the port and Customs authorities will give importers the opportunity to release their goods through the Chattogram Port and Pangaon Port instead of the Kamalapur ICD.
The Customs and port authorities also demanded that the railway authority ensure at least 200 TEUs of containers are transported from the port daily, up from the existing 80-100 TEUs. To this end, they said the number of railway engines as well as the number of wagons should be increased.
