Cargo handling by Ctg ICDs lauded

CHITTAGONG, Feb 26: The Chittagong Customs Commissioner said today that performance of the ICDs (inland container depots) is satisfactory and the ICD-bound import containers should be delivered from the off-docks and not from the Chittagong Port.
"The situation did not warrant the ICD-bound import containers to be delivered from the port," he said in a meeting of the stakeholders on the agenda of delivery of ICD-bound import items from the port.
Additional Commissioner of Chittagong Customs House Azizur Rahman, representatives of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry and different stakeholders, Omar Faruq Sabuj and Mr Benazir of BICDA (Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association), were, among others, present in the meeting.
The meeting was organised by the Chittagong Customs House where the BICDA submitted its statement.
In the meeting, Chittagong Customs Commissioner Masud Sadik lauded the role of the ICDs in handling the containerised import cargo.
He said all stakeholders concerned should praise the off-docks for their excellent performance and the off-docks have been established to de-congest the port and the ICD owners have made huge investment in the ICDs.
Most of the ICDs have not been able to come to break-even point profit-wise and so all should appreciate their contribution. He could not take any decision which would not be justified. So the ICD-bound import containers will have to be delivered from ICDs, not from the port.
Importers and the C&F Agents observed that they wanted to take delivery of some ICD-bound import containers from the port for security reasons under the present situation of political unrest since taking import containers to far-off depots was risky.
Representatives of Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association and some MLOs (main line operators) said the ICDs are taking out import items-laden containers in time so there is no need for considering delivery of ICD-bound import containers from the port.
They further said the ICDs are also dispatching exports-laden containers in time to the ports to connect the nominated vessels.
The Chittagong Port Authority officials said the ICDs were taking out 600-700 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of imports-laden containers on an average from the port and the volume of ICD-bound import containers is at a low level.
Assistant Commissioners posted at different ICDs also expressed opinion that there was no container congestion inside the off-docks.
BICDA in its opening statement said that the ICD-bound import volume inside the port was only 122 boxes or 175 TEUs on February 25. So the direct delivery of ICD-bound import cargo from the port cannot be considered.
Secretary of the BICDA Ruhul Amin Sikder Biplob in his statement said the off-docks have been continuing their operational activities for the last one and a half months properly despite shutdown and blockade programmes enforced by the BNP-led political alliance throughout the country.
Despite hartals and blockade in January 2015, the off-docks have handled 41,315 TEUs of exports-laden containers which are 3,315 TEUs higher than average monthly volume. The off-docks currently handle 29 import items from the port for which the operational activities of the port have become smooth.  
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