Unloading of BPC oil faces severe disruption at Ctg port

The unloading of oil imported by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) faces setback for severe shipping congestion as vessels of private-sector power plants have been given permission to call at the corporation's jetties at Chittagong seaport sans its consent, officials said.
Such disruption, they said, is taking place as furnace oil-laden vessels of the entrepreneurs of private-sector power plants occupying the berthing sites most of the time following unilateral decision given by the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).
"Even the port Authority gives berthing permission to vessels of private power plants at the BPC jetties when the corporation's vessels are still in. The jetties of BPC are being occupied by private vessels most of the days a month," said BPC chairman AM Badrudduja in a recent letter to the CPA chairman.
"Since the jetties remain blocked by private vessels, the unloading of BPC-imported petroleum faces serious disruption, thus delivery of oil to government depots by tankers inline with their demand becomes impossible," he added.
Mr Badrudduja requested the CPA not to allow private vessels in jetties number- 5, 6 and 7 without its prior consent, for the sake of continuation of loading-unloading of petroleum products in the country.
The BPC chairman told the FE that the corporation has five jetties at the seaport, all built with its own funds. The BPC imports and delivers petroleum products across the country through state-owned oil companies-Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna.
Two of the oil companies-Padma and Meghna-and Eastern Refineries Ltd administer jetties 5, 6, and 7 through which imported oil is unloaded from vessels and sent to different oil depots.  
Demand for petroleum products has increased in the country significantly, so also the use of the jetties, he pointed out.
Mr Badrudduja said nearly 85 per cent of total oil demand of the country is being met through the delivery of petroleum products to different depots by coastal and shallow-draft tankers through the jetties.
Besides, the jetties are also being used to refuel vessels of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Coast Guard, various government and private agencies, mini-tankers of marine dealers, and fishing trawlers.
He, however, said the private-sector power plants can use the jetties for the unloading and loading of oil with prior approval from the BPC since they are given permission to import oil of their own and have no jetties.
The BPC chairman alleged that the CPA recently started giving berthing permission to the vessels of private power plants without the corporation's approval.
He said the BPC gets some fees from the vessels of these power plants as they use the jetties for passing oil.
Mr Badrudduja said the CPA collects user fee from the vessels for using the jetties from which it was supposed to pay 50 per cent to the BPC.  "But, the CPA is not paying us the sum and does not respond to our demand."
When contacted, CPA spokesperson Jafar Alam told the FE Tuesday the port authority gives berthing permission on first-come, first-served basis.
"We have no obligations of taking prior approval from the BPC to give berthing permission to other vessels in any jetty," he said.
Mr Alam, also director (admin) of the CPA, said the BPC has no scope to prepare berthing schedule for others. "If BPC faces any big complications, officials can sit with us for discussion."
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