Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, Jan 9: Container handling performance of the Chittagong Port has improved as the Lloyd's Register listed it to the rank at 86 in 2014, upgraded by four steps from the rank at 90 in 2013, among 100 busiest container handling seaports in the world.
The port on Thursday announced that bigger ships of 9.5 metres draft and 190 metres in length would now be able to take berth in the port jetties.
"The port will allow ships of 9.5 metres draft and 190 metres in length from tomorrow in the port jetties that will facilitate the businesses better services through handling export and import cargo quicker and in great volume," said Rear Admiral Nizam Uddin, chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority.
He said ships over 9.1 metres in draft and 186 metres in length cannot now berth in the port, adding that bigger ships will now be able to berth in the jetties after capital dredging in the jetty area.
The port authority organised a ceremony on the occasion of taking the Lloyd's Register certification that qualified the CPA as the world's 86th busiest container handling port out of 100 seaports in the year 2014.
According to Lloyd's Register, the Chittagong Port was ranked 90th in 2013 and 98th in 2008-09 in the global.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan addressed the function as the chief guest. With the CPA chairman in the chair, the function was attended, among others, by joint secretary of shipping ministry Sohrab Hossain, president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mahbubul Alam, CPA secretary Omar Faruq, berth operators and ship handling operators, other port users and trade body leaders.
Representing the Lloyd's Register in the event, Captain Zillur Rahman Bhuiyan handed over the Lloyd's Register certificate to the CPA chairman in presence of the minister and other dignitaries.
Presenting the port's performance through power-point, CPA board member (marine and harbour) Captain M Shajahan said the volume of container handling in the port will stand at 3.00 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) by 2019.
The volume of containerised cargo handling in the Chittagong Port increased to 1.70 million TEUs in 2014 from 1.54 million TEUs in 2013.
"But the port will face problems if new container terminal is not built by 2020 as containerised shipping has been rapidly increasing globally," he said.
According to Lloyd's Register, number one container handling port in the world is Shanghai of China with 33.60 million TEUs. The second biggest container handling port in the world is Singapore with 32.20 million TEUs, followed by Shinzen (China), Hong Kong (China) and Bushan (South Korea).
Around 90 per cent of the country's export and import is done through the Chittagong Port. The total volume of bulk and containerised cargo handling through the port in 2014 was 50.00 million metric tonnes (import: 42.85 million MT and export 7.15 million MT).
The port's revenue earnings were Tk 6.3846 billion in five months of the financial year 2014-15 while revenue expenditure was Tk 3.4784 billion.
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