The Saudi operator of Chittagong Port's Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) is set to launch state-of-the-art gantry crane operations from July, a move expected to significantly enhance container-handling efficiency at the largest seaport of the country.
Saudi Arabia-based Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), which has been operating the terminal since June 2024, has completed the installation of four custom-built gantry cranes -- the final major pieces of equipment required to scale up operations at the facility.
"These specialised and customised gantry cranes have been procured in accordance with the specifications provided by the Chittagong Port Authority," Sayed Aref Sarwar, Head of Commercial and Public Affairs at RSGT Bangladesh, told the FE.
He said commercial operations using the new equipment would substantially increase container throughput and vessel-handling capacity at the terminal.
Chittagong Port, Bangladesh's principal gateway for seaborne trade, handled approximately 3.41 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, making it the busiest container port on the Bay of Bengal. RSGT has been operating the Patenga Container Terminal under a 22-year concession agreement signed with the Chittagong Port Authority.
The newly installed cranes, manufactured by Chinese equipment maker SANY, are capable of handling two 20-foot containers simultaneously, a feature not previously available at any Bangladeshi port.
The cranes will operate entirely on electricity, eliminating the use of fossil fuels in terminal crane operations.
"This will be the first fully green crane operation in Bangladesh's port sector. The equipment is capable of handling the projected container volumes efficiently while maintaining zero direct carbon emissions during operations," Mr Sarwar said.
RSGT expects container throughput at the Patenga terminal to rise sharply following the commissioning of the new equipment.
The terminal currently handles around 155,000 TEUs annually. With the new cranes becoming operational, throughput is projected to increase to approximately 400,000 TEUs this year, representing around 12 per cent of Chittagong Port's total container traffic.
According to Mr Sarwar, the terminal's annual handling capacity is expected to exceed 500,000 TEUs next year, accounting for roughly 17 per cent of the port's container operations.
RSGT, the first foreign company to operate a container terminal in Bangladesh, has been expanding both infrastructure and workforce capacity since taking over management of the facility.
The company has invested about $170 million so far to modernise the terminal and align its operations with international standards.
RSGT currently employs around 500 permanent staff, while a further 800 workers provide services on a contractual basis.
"All of our employees are Bangladeshi nationals. We have provided both local and international training programmes to develop their operational skills," Mr Sarwar said.
He added that some employees had been sent to Saudi Arabia for specialised training in modern port management and terminal operations.
The investment forms part of a broader effort to improve productivity, reduce vessel turnaround times and strengthen Bangladesh's maritime logistics infrastructure as trade volumes continue to grow.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com
