Chittagong-seaport operators struggle to clear backlog as shipment of piled-up containers and delivery of cargo boxes began Wednesday in full swing after days of countrywide disorders during quota protests.
Until 8.00am on Wednesday morning, some 2,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers had been delivered from the prime port of Bangladesh, according to Omar Faruk, a spokesperson for the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).
He expects some 3,500 TEUs of containers to be delivered from the port until Thursday morning as importers are rushing to the port to clear cargo boxes.
"Loading and unloading at the port jetties are taking place as usual," he told the FE over the phone, as troubles now dissipate and curfew relaxes.
On Wednesday morning, some 41,459 TEUs of containers were lying at the port yard against the total storage capacity of 53,518 TEUs. Of the total, 37,201 TEUs were full container-load (FCL) boxes and 960 TEUs less-than container-load ones, among others.
According to port officials some 10 container vessels had been loading and unloading boxes while 10 more were waiting at the outer-anchorage of the port.
They say due to unavailability of internet connection since Thursday night customs procedure at the port remained suspended, so shipment and deliver of boxes virtually stalled.
Moreover, due to highway blockade, curfew, and factory closure, cargoes could not reach the inland container depots which mainly handle exports.
Agitations on the road and a "complete shutdown" enforced by the students also disrupted transportation of containers to and from depots and the port.
"Many ships had to wait additional days at the port to get designated containers," says Muntasir Rubayet, Head of Operations at GBX Logistics Limited, adding that there was almost no movement of containers during the days due to dustups on the highways.
"Today there will be a significant container-delivery movement as the government has taken adequate security measures," he hopes, as there is security bulwark put up by army and law-enforcement agencies.
Mr Rubayet expects that the container backlog will clear by next week.
Ruhul Amin Sikder (Biplob), Secretary-General of Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), told the FE correspondent that some 8,000 TEUs of export containers could not be shipped during the last one week due to internet-connection cut-off, insecurity on highways and factory closure.
He said on Wednesday the depots brought a good volume of containers from the port premises while export containers were also going to the port, though very small in number.
"We are not getting adequate cargoes from the factories," Mr Biplob said.
He said some 5,000 TEUs of export-laden containers were lying at the 19 inland container depots in the port city Chittagong.
"Had the customs procedure been okay, some 3,000 TEUs of them could have been shipped," he said.
According to him, the unloading of containers at the port yard slowed down due to space shortages.
syful-islam@outlook.com