CHATTOGRAM, Aug 14: A mobile harbour crane is set to be installed at the Pangaon container terminal in Dhaka within a few days as it has already reached the Chittagong port.
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has procured the mobile crane from the United Kingdom at a cost of Tk 280 million (Tk 28 crore) with the aim to expedite cargo handling at Pangaon.
The crane is likely to start operation this month, sources at the CPA said.
They said the crane, which arrived at the port early this week from the UK, is ready for sending to Pangaon.
It is expected to reach the Pangaon container terminal for installation either by August 18 or 19.
The CPA had procured another mobile harbour crane for the same terminal at a cost of Tk 550 million (Tk 55 crore) in April 2013.
The crane is being used for unloading containerised Dhaka-bound cargo from gearless vessels at Pangaon Terminal from Chittagong Port.
Acting Chief Engineer of the CPA Md Aminul Islam said the mobile harbour crane was procured to expedite container handling activities at the Pangaon terminal as the volume of Dhaka-bound containers is gradually increasing.
The government has taken multiple steps to enhance the cargo handling capacity of the port, hr said.
The CPA has also strengthened its efforts to increase its cargo handling and lightering jetty facilities.
Alongside different port development and infrastructure projects, the port authority has procured a good number of container handling equipment while many other important equipment are expected to arrive within this November, sources said.
Half a dozen quay gantry cranes will be installed at the port's container handling facilities. Those cranes have been procured from China.
Three of them are expected to reach Chittagang Port by August 19 while the rest three will arrive in November this year.
These six cranes have been procured at the cost of Tk 3.45 billion (Tk 345 crore), the port authority said.
Besides, the CPA will procure another four gantry cranes at a cost of Tk 2.39 billion for its New Mooring Container Terminal.
Currently, the sea port does not have any ship-to-shore gantry crane.
The port's handling capacity will be significantly strengthened once the cranes are added to its existing container handling facilities.
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