Mongla Port undergoes major expansion to boost trade capacity

Mongla Port, Bangladesh’s second-largest seaport in Bagerhat district, is undergoing a major expansion to enhance its cargo handling capabilities. 

The expansion comes in response to rising demand for cargo services, driven by improved connectivity through the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, which links Dhaka to the southwestern region.

As part of the expansion, six new jetties are being constructed. Jetties No. 3 and 4 are already 62% complete, with an investment of Tk 800 crore. Proposals for Jetties No. 1 and 2 are awaiting approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), while planning for Jetties No. 11 and 12 is in progress.

Commodore Shafiqul Islam Sarker, Director of the Jetty Construction Project, stated that the new jetties will significantly elevate Mongla Port's role as an economic hub. To facilitate the movement of foreign vessels, the port has also installed 69 navigation buoys along its channel. Currently, Mongla Port can accommodate up to 47 ships across its jetties, mooring buoys, and anchorages, and is well-equipped with various facilities including transit sheds, warehouses, container yards, and refrigerated plug points.

The opening of the Padma Bridge has led to a surge in port activity, as the bridge now serves as a key route for products from Bangladesh’s southwestern region, as well as neighboring Nepal, Bhutan, and India. This has made the expansion of Mongla Port vital to managing the growing traffic.

Local business leaders, including Sheikh Faridul Islam and Mashiur Rahman, expressed optimism that the new jetties will improve ship movement and cargo handling, easing congestion during loading and unloading.

The expansion is expected to enhance the port's economic benefits, streamline import and export operations, and reduce transportation costs in the southwestern region, thereby improving its competitiveness on the global stage. Authorities are also focusing on modernizing the workforce to alleviate pressure on the Chittagong Port.

Commodore Sarker noted that the construction of Jetties No. 3 and 4 is expected to be completed within the next year and a half. Since its inception, Mongla Port has built five jetties for cargo handling, and the addition of six new ones will further boost its capacity and efficiency.

Port Chairman Rear Admiral Shahin Rahman highlighted that Mongla Port is managing four active projects. The completion of dredging in the Pashur Channel’s inner bar will allow the port’s jetties to accommodate ships with drafts of up to 10 meters.

The Mongla Port Upgradation Project aims to significantly increase the port's capacity, with plans to handle 1.5 million tonnes of cargo and 400,000 TEUs of containers annually. The addition of two more jetties will increase container handling capacity by 200,000 TEUs per year.

In the 2023-24 fiscal year, Mongla Port recorded a 2.30% increase in commercial ship arrivals, a 9.72% rise in cargo transportation, a 16.78% growth in container transportation, and a 13% increase in car imports compared to the previous year.

SR