Ctg port able to handle transit cargo now: CPA chairman
Our Correspondent | Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, Mar 1: Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is capable of handling the transit cargo of the neighbouring countries any day from now on, subject to the approval by the government. CPA chairman Commodore M Anwarul Islam said this at an exchange of views with the media at the CPA Bhaban this afternoon. Mr Islam, who took over the charge of the CPA on February 13 last, gave answers to different queries in his first press meet on issues like port infrastructure, equipment facilities, modernization of the port under the CPA Master Plan, tender process, labour unrest, port security etc. The meeting was also attended by CPA Board Member (admin and planning) Md Nazrul Islam, Member (harbour and marine) Captain M Shahjahan, Member (finance) Mosharaf Hossain and Director (security) Lt Col Kamrul Islam. Elaborating on the major seaport's ability to handle transit cargo, the CPA chairman said that the port handled 1.313 million TEUs (twenty equivalent units) containers last year. "If we give transit facility, the cargo handling will grow by 7.0 to 7.50 per cent over the existing volume of handling. Currently 40 per cent of the port's capacity is unutilised," he said. About the infrastructure and equipment facilities of the port, the CPA Member Nazrul Islam, who is also a member of the sub-committee on transit, said, if transit facility is given today, then 18.3 million metric tons of additional cargo are expected to be transported through our country annually. The cargoes bound for Nepal and Bhutan will be transported through Mongla port while those of the north-eastern Indian states can be transported through Chittagong port, he added. "The additional cargo to be handled through Chittagong Port will be about 0.18 million TEUs in terms of container which is barely 7.50 per cent of the cargo now being handled by the port," he said. About the security of the transit cargo, he said that the issues relating to separate yards in the port for stuffing and un-stuffing and the related security matters, will be decided, once the transit starts.
CHITTAGONG, Mar 1: Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is capable of handling the transit cargo of the neighbouring countries any day from now on, subject to the approval by the government. CPA chairman Commodore M Anwarul Islam said this at an exchange of views with the media at the CPA Bhaban this afternoon. Mr Islam, who took over the charge of the CPA on February 13 last, gave answers to different queries in his first press meet on issues like port infrastructure, equipment facilities, modernization of the port under the CPA Master Plan, tender process, labour unrest, port security etc. The meeting was also attended by CPA Board Member (admin and planning) Md Nazrul Islam, Member (harbour and marine) Captain M Shahjahan, Member (finance) Mosharaf Hossain and Director (security) Lt Col Kamrul Islam. Elaborating on the major seaport's ability to handle transit cargo, the CPA chairman said that the port handled 1.313 million TEUs (twenty equivalent units) containers last year. "If we give transit facility, the cargo handling will grow by 7.0 to 7.50 per cent over the existing volume of handling. Currently 40 per cent of the port's capacity is unutilised," he said. About the infrastructure and equipment facilities of the port, the CPA Member Nazrul Islam, who is also a member of the sub-committee on transit, said, if transit facility is given today, then 18.3 million metric tons of additional cargo are expected to be transported through our country annually. The cargoes bound for Nepal and Bhutan will be transported through Mongla port while those of the north-eastern Indian states can be transported through Chittagong port, he added. "The additional cargo to be handled through Chittagong Port will be about 0.18 million TEUs in terms of container which is barely 7.50 per cent of the cargo now being handled by the port," he said. About the security of the transit cargo, he said that the issues relating to separate yards in the port for stuffing and un-stuffing and the related security matters, will be decided, once the transit starts.