CHATTOGRAM, May 24: The government has decided to extend the contract of Chittagong Dry Dock Limited (CDDL) for operating the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) of Chattogram port for another six months or until a new operator is appointed.
CDDL, operated by the Bangladesh Navy, which officially took over the management of the NCT at Chattogram port on July 7, 2025, will continue operating the terminal until further orders.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase held at the Secretariat on Saturday, chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
Sources said the approval was given following a proposal from the Ministry of Shipping after the expiry of the existing agreement signed with CDDL for operating the NCT, including its overflow yard.
The extension has been approved under the same rates and conditions as the previous contract to ensure uninterrupted port operations until the process of appointing a new operator is completed.
Officials of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) said they had heard about the decision to extend CDDL's contract but had not yet received any formal order.
The NCT is one of the key facilities of Chattogram port, with an annual container handling capacity of around 1.1 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).
However, the terminal currently handles nearly 1.3 million TEUs annually.
The terminal has four jetties capable of accommodating four container vessels simultaneously and generates nearly Tk 10 billion in annual revenue for the CPA.
Sources said earlier the CPA did not extend the contract with Saif Powertec Limited for operating the NCT after the agreement expired on July 6, 2025.
Following directives from the ministry, the CPA took over operations from Saif Powertec and handed them to CDDL on July 7, 2025.
As a result, CDDL formally assumed responsibility for operating the NCT from July 7 last year.
The formal agreement between the CPA and CDDL was finalised in accordance with the Public Procurement Rules (PPR).
Although the Bangladesh Navy cannot directly operate the terminal for technical reasons, it manages NCT activities through CDDL.
CDDL, the only dry dock in Bangladesh, is located on the bank of the River Karnaphuli on 48 acres of land within the Chattogram port area. Its 183-metre grave dock can accommodate vessels up to 22,000 DWT.
It carries out ship repair and new building activities in full compliance with national and international rules and standards.
On December 23, 2015, CDDL was handed over to the Navy and has since been operated as a state-owned limited company under its management.
CDDL is currently expanding its facilities by introducing a second dry dock and developing infrastructure for building naval and commercial vessels for both domestic and international markets.
It was created as a complementary facility to the CPA to cater to the regular and emergency repair needs of national flag carrier vessels as well as other ships calling at Chattogram port.
The project was designed and constructed with Yugoslav technical assistance and began commercial operations in July 1985.
Saif Powertec Limited, an international-standard private operator, had managed key container terminals of Chattogram port from 2007 to 2025 after being appointed under an open tender method in line with the government's privatisation policy.
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