Gazi Anowarul Hoque :
The implementation of the ‘Bay terminal’ project in Chittagong progresses at snail’s pace due to bureaucratic tangle.
Though the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) on December 7 in 2015 issued no objection certificate (NOC) to the Chittagong Port Authority for construction of the “Bay Terminal”, no environmental clearance has yet been given by the concerned authority. There are still a lot works to do. These are acquiring of land, floating of tender for procuring equipments and removal of bureaucratic hurdles.
Sources said, Hamburg Port Consulting, a German-based international port-consulting firm, prepared the master plan financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It cost $1.0 million.
The report said that container traffic at the country’s principal seaport in Chittagong is expected to increase nearly threefold to 5.1 million TEUs (Twenty Equivalent Units), inclusive of transit trade, in the next 15 years.
Apart from the threefold rise in the container traffic up to the year 2030, the master plan predicts that 5.4 million TEUs of container traffic will take place in 2040.
Painting a crescendo of growth, it says that the traffic load will be 2.7 million TEUs in 2020 and it will be 4.4 million TEUs in 2025. In the FY2015, Chittagong Port handled 1.8 million TEUs of containers.
According to the report, Dhaka and its adjoining areas will consume most part of the cargoes and 30 per cent only will remain for Chittagong.
It has become imperative to set up Bay-terminal at Patenga coast on priority basis for enhancing capacity of the port to cope with increasing volume of trade and economic advancement of the country, insiders say.
It is said that building ‘Bay Port’ at Chittagong is the lifelong demand. But there is no progress after approval from CDA.
Now big vessels carrying 20 to 30 thousand tones goods like cement clinkers, coals and food grains cannot berth at the port jetties, as CPA allows ships with 190 metres length and 9.5 metres draft to anchor at the jetties for unloading their cargoes.
In this condition, ships with more length and draft have to anchor at the outer anchorage of the port to unload their goods through lighter vessels which results in a high transportation cost.
Mahfuzul Hoque Shah, Director of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) and Convener of Sub-committee on port and shipping affairs told the Daily New Nation on Wednesday, the use of the port is marking 14 percent to 15 percent growth. But with the present capacity and resources, it would be difficult for Chittagong port to tackle increasing export-import activities after 2018.
‘Bay Terminal’ project implementation speed is too slow, he said.
When constructed the Bay-terminal would allow berthing of vessels with drafts ranging from 12 to 14 meters carrying 50 to 60 thousand tones and give round-the-clock service. There would be no restriction on night time navigation at the Bay-terminal where vessels won’t have to wait for high-tide to get berthing, Mr Shah added.
It is assessed that it takes 10 to 12 thousand crore to implement the project. ADB, India and China show interest to it, he informed.
Sources in CPA said, Chittagong Port, the prime sea port of the country handles over 16 lakh TEUs (Twenty Equivalent Units) of containers side by side with handling 1.5 crore of cement clinkers and huge quantity of coal and open cargoes annually.
To increase port capacity, the CPA is going to set up the ‘Bay Terminal’ to allow bigger ships to directly berth adjacent to estuary of the port.
The bigger ships with more length and draft will be able to berth at the jetties of the terminal for handling goods. The new terminal would immensely reduce transportation cost and bring dynamism in port activities.
The implementation of the ‘Bay terminal’ project in Chittagong progresses at snail’s pace due to bureaucratic tangle.
Though the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) on December 7 in 2015 issued no objection certificate (NOC) to the Chittagong Port Authority for construction of the “Bay Terminal”, no environmental clearance has yet been given by the concerned authority. There are still a lot works to do. These are acquiring of land, floating of tender for procuring equipments and removal of bureaucratic hurdles.
Sources said, Hamburg Port Consulting, a German-based international port-consulting firm, prepared the master plan financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It cost $1.0 million.
The report said that container traffic at the country’s principal seaport in Chittagong is expected to increase nearly threefold to 5.1 million TEUs (Twenty Equivalent Units), inclusive of transit trade, in the next 15 years.
Apart from the threefold rise in the container traffic up to the year 2030, the master plan predicts that 5.4 million TEUs of container traffic will take place in 2040.
Painting a crescendo of growth, it says that the traffic load will be 2.7 million TEUs in 2020 and it will be 4.4 million TEUs in 2025. In the FY2015, Chittagong Port handled 1.8 million TEUs of containers.
According to the report, Dhaka and its adjoining areas will consume most part of the cargoes and 30 per cent only will remain for Chittagong.
It has become imperative to set up Bay-terminal at Patenga coast on priority basis for enhancing capacity of the port to cope with increasing volume of trade and economic advancement of the country, insiders say.
It is said that building ‘Bay Port’ at Chittagong is the lifelong demand. But there is no progress after approval from CDA.
Now big vessels carrying 20 to 30 thousand tones goods like cement clinkers, coals and food grains cannot berth at the port jetties, as CPA allows ships with 190 metres length and 9.5 metres draft to anchor at the jetties for unloading their cargoes.
In this condition, ships with more length and draft have to anchor at the outer anchorage of the port to unload their goods through lighter vessels which results in a high transportation cost.
Mahfuzul Hoque Shah, Director of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) and Convener of Sub-committee on port and shipping affairs told the Daily New Nation on Wednesday, the use of the port is marking 14 percent to 15 percent growth. But with the present capacity and resources, it would be difficult for Chittagong port to tackle increasing export-import activities after 2018.
‘Bay Terminal’ project implementation speed is too slow, he said.
When constructed the Bay-terminal would allow berthing of vessels with drafts ranging from 12 to 14 meters carrying 50 to 60 thousand tones and give round-the-clock service. There would be no restriction on night time navigation at the Bay-terminal where vessels won’t have to wait for high-tide to get berthing, Mr Shah added.
It is assessed that it takes 10 to 12 thousand crore to implement the project. ADB, India and China show interest to it, he informed.
Sources in CPA said, Chittagong Port, the prime sea port of the country handles over 16 lakh TEUs (Twenty Equivalent Units) of containers side by side with handling 1.5 crore of cement clinkers and huge quantity of coal and open cargoes annually.
To increase port capacity, the CPA is going to set up the ‘Bay Terminal’ to allow bigger ships to directly berth adjacent to estuary of the port.
The bigger ships with more length and draft will be able to berth at the jetties of the terminal for handling goods. The new terminal would immensely reduce transportation cost and bring dynamism in port activities.
