Maintenance dredging begins at Matarbari deep-sea port channel

CHATTOGRAM, June 17: The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has begun maintenance dredging of the Matarbari deep-sea port channel in Maheshkhali to restore navigability and ensure the safe movement of commercial and fuel-carrying vessels.

CPA officials said coal-carrying ships are already using the Matarbari channel regularly, while LNG carriers are also expected to start operating through the route on a regular basis in the near future.

However, excessive silt accumulation in various sections of the channel has reduced navigability, making it necessary to maintain the prescribed depth, they said.

To address the issue, dredging operations have been launched on an urgent basis to remove accumulated sediment and restore the channel's navigational capacity.

CPA Secretary Syed Reffayet Hamim said that an analysis of the channel's morphological condition and sediment transport patterns identified the Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) as the most suitable and effective option for the work.

"In line with this assessment, dredging activities have commenced in the Matarbari channel using TSHD King Copper, a dredger owned by a Chinese company. The dredger is working to re-establish and maintain the required depth by removing sediment deposits from different parts of the channel," he said.

The dredging initiative comes as work progresses on the country's first deep-sea port project.

According to project sources, construction of the port's terminal facilities began on May 3. In the first phase, a terminal comprising two jetties will be built at an estimated cost of Tk 62 billion.

The CPA is implementing the deep-sea port project on about 1,030 acres of land in Maheshkhali.

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