CHATTOGRAM, Jan 01: Chittagong Port, the country's prime seaport, has set new records for container and cargo handling in 2024, underscoring the resilience of the nation's maritime sector despite challenges over the past year.
According to the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), the port handled 3.27 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of containers and handled 123 million tonnes of cargo in the calendar year, marking significant growth compared to the previous year.
The port witnessed a 7.42 per cent increase in container handling and a 3.11 per cent rise in cargo handling, compared to 2023, signaling a positive trend for the nation's trade.
The number of ships docked at Chittagong Port also reached a high of 3,867 in 2024, further highlighting the port's crucial role in Bangladesh's economy.
CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman said that 2024 marked the highest-ever container and cargo volumes at the port. From January 1 to December 31, 2024, a total of 32,75,627 TEUs of containers and 12,39,86,014 tonnes of cargo were handled.
The port also saw notable improvements in operational efficiency, with the average waiting time for ships at the outer anchorage has come down to just one day, he said.
On the financial front, Chittagong Port achieved a revenue income of over Tk 50.55 billion in 2024, marking a 21.39 per cent increase from the previous year's revenue of Tk 41.65 billion. The port's revenue surplus also rose by 37 per cent to Tk 29.48 billion, up from Tk 21.43 billion in 2023.
Omar Faruk, Secretary to the CPA, said, "The handling of containers and cargo increased last year. Besides, the CPA also decreased the costs of maintenance in a year. Besides, Chittagong port also obtained the 64th position among the 100 ports of the world."
Chittagong Port handles more than 92 per cent of the export and import cargoes of Bangladesh.
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