The Mongla Port Authority has identified five key challenges the port is now facing in delivering services to the users and recommended a 13-point short, medium and long- term measures to minimise those, officials said recently.
The authority has sent a note to the ministry of shipping (MoS) suggesting measures that are needed to be taken to upgrade the port for smooth delivery of services, they added.
The letter noted ensuring safe navigation of vessels as the main challenge, followed by provision of efficient service, modern container and cargo handling equipment, upgrading of modern infrastructural facility and prevention of marine pollution.
As short-term measures, the port authority recommended dredging at the harbour area in the Pussur Channel, procurement of cutter suction dredger and container and cargo handling equipment.
The authority under medium and long-term measures recommended dredging at the outer bar area in the Pussur Channel, capital dredging in the channel from Mongla port to Rampal power plant jetty, procurement of trailing suction hopper dredger, removal of wrecks from the channel, and enhancement of comprehensive security of the port.
Besides, it also suggested for protection of sliding of accumulated soil underneath the jetty of the port, procurement of spilled oil cleanup vessels, construction of container yard, procurement of harbour craft, and construction of multipurpose berth with backup facilities.
An official at the Mongla port told the FE that capital and maintenance dredging in the Pussur Channel is needed to maintain permissible draft ranging between 7.0 and 8.5 metres so that vessels can ply smoothly.
He said some 1.0 million cubic metres of sands and mud need to be removed through dredging.
He also said in the outer bar area of the Pussur Channel, at least 5.0 million cubic metre dredging is needed to be carried out for increasing draft so that ships with 9.0 metre draft can ply there.
The official also said in Pussur Channel, some 3.4 million wastes need to be removed from Mongla port to Rampal power plant jetty area to raise permissible draft for 8.5 metre ships.
According to him, some big wrecks are there in Pussur Channel of which at least five need to be removed for safe navigation of vessels.
The official also said procurement of container and cargo handling equipment is needed to raise productivity and reduce turn-around time of ships.
Besides, cleaning up of spillage oil, raising of container storage facility, faster service for ship movement, establishment of modern container handling facility, and reduction of turn-around time for sea-going vessels are also needed, he added.
AKM Mahbubur Rahman, planning chief of the Mongla Port Authority, told the FE Wednesday some project documents have been sent to the MoS for taking steps for buying necessary equipment and carrying out dredging in the Pussur Channel.
"The port will graduate to international standard once the challenges are met," he felt.
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