All private off-docks in port reduce charges

Jasim Uddin Haroon | Published: March 01, 2009 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

All private off docks of the country have reduced their charges sharply mainly due to operation of new private terminals, operators said.

Off dock, involved in stuffing of export goods and un-stuffing of imported goods, was introduced in 1990s to keep port yards free from congestion. Apart from this, they also send containerised goods after stuffing them in port yards for shipment.

The storing charges for empty containers have been reduced by more than 57 per cent over the past few months, while stuffing of export cargoes was reduced by more than 25 per cent, they added.

Currently, the charge for an empty container for a single day is Tk 30 against Tk 70 and stuffing cost is worth Tk 4200 against Tk 5600 earlier for each 20-feet container.

The off docks are mainly used for stuffing of export cargoes and they handle around 70 per cent cargoes and they also keep empty containers on per-day rental basis. Besides, a number of off docks handle selected imported goods.

"The off docks have reduced their rents sharply as there has been stiff competition following setting up of new private terminals," said Md Fazlul Hoque, executive director of Iqbal Brothers Enterprise, an old off dock at the port city, told the FE.

Three new off docks have started their operation in recent months with modern facilities along with cheaper services. The new off docks are KDS Logistics Limited, Incontrade and Golden Private Depot.

The average capacity of three off docks is around 12000 containers.

Mohsin Sarker, managing director of Incontrade, a new private off dock services, told the FE: "the capacity of container handling at the private depots increased over the past few months. This is the main reason behind the fall of rents."

He also said this will help facilitate the country's trade, especially the export trade, in the wake of global recession.

Currently, the port city has 13 off docks and they stuff at least 300,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot equivalent units) a year.

Besides, they also handle nine imported items including cotton, pulses and poultry feed.

However, three more off docks are in the offing and they might start their operation sometime in 2010.