CHATTOGRAM, Nov 20: Saif Powertec Limited, an international-standard domestic port operator, handled more than 20-million TEU (twenty-foot unit) containers and 14,000 vessels at Chittagong port from 2007 to October 2024.
Sources said Saif Powertec handled 13,964 vessels at the country's prime seaport during the period. It handled 8,419 ships at the country New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) alone.
Besides, container handling by the company was more than 20-million TEUs, including 11-million TEUs at NCT.
Saif Powertec managing director Tarafdar Ruhul Amin said, "Many global terminal operators have no record of handling such a large number of containers. This achievement is not only of Saif Powertec, this success is of Chittagong port and the whole of Bangladesh."
"Saif Powertec is the only terminal operator of international standards in Bangladesh. Human resources of international quality are being developed from this institution. So, Saif Powertec is competing to operate terminals abroad," he told the FE.
"Sadly though, this reputed organisation had to undergo harassment by the ousted Awami League government in the past 10 years. Some AL leaders, including ministers and MPs, pestered me in various ways."
Sources said Saif Powertec has been working as an operator of the most specialised container terminals of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) since the steps taken for privatisation of port operations in 2007.
The CPA appointed M/S Saif Powertec Limited through an open tender method for container handling operations.
To boost container storage space and port mobility of the Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT), a task force was constituted at the Port Training Centre in 2007.
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries,
Bangladesh Master Stevedores Association, Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, C&F Agents Association and Private Inland Container Depot were members of the task force.
As a result, 12 operators for 12 berths (six container and six cargo berths) at GCB and the CCT terminal operator for NCT 01 and 02 berths were assigned to handle terminal operations.
Thanks to its efficient handling of berths and containers, Saif Powertec emerged as an economic growth partner by contributing to huge revenue generation through the port.
Sources said more than 67 per cent of containers at the seaport are handled by Saif Powertec. Besides, it efficiently did terminal operations.
While the average stay of a ship was 10-12 days in 2007, it was 2-2.5 days in 2023-24. This has greatly reduced the cost of import and export.
Saif Powertec also operates the lone local railway inland container depot (ICD) at Kamalapur in Dhaka.
The cabinet committee on public purchase on 28 August 2019 approved Saif Powertec as the terminal operator for handing containers and container-laden cargoes at Chittagong port for six years.
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