Sarwaruddin, Chattogram Bureau :
The premier seaport of the country , Chattogram Port experienced waiting vessels free outer anchorage after long decades . The scenario of waiting vessel free outer berth witnessed Sunday.
Average waiting of container vessels at outer berth now stands at zero percent.
As a result the importers and shipping agents, stakeholders relieved from paying demurrage charge on average 10-15 houthsnd US dollar per day due to overstay of vessels in port.
At the same time cost of doing business of Govt will be ease with positive extents.
President of Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Ahmadul Hoque Chowdhury referring the zero percent waiting vessels said undoubtedly the handling capacity of the port enhanced. Meanwhile mainline operators have decreased the bookings of vessels from china as preventive measures to coronona virus but the pressure of container vessels may hit the port’s handling after coronavirus epidemic is controlled.
Chief Operating officer of top container terminal operator- Saif Power Tech told The New Nation that during the time high tide in Karnaphuli Channel, the waiting container vessels are taking berthing in CCT,NCT and GCB easily by experienced pilots and hence there were nowaiting vessels in outer today afternoon .
The Saif Power CEO also said container less outer berth is an unprecedented chapter for the chattogram Port and it became possible following the deploy of new container handling equipments with the exiting .
Chairman of CPA Rear Admiral Zulfikar Aziz told that waiting less vessels at outer anchorage of the port is a milestone of the history of the port.
Port chairman also told that handling activities from May to August last could not be operated properly due to heavy downpour , cyclone ,and inclement weather and now the prevailing weather is in favour of handling and hence full operational activities are under going uninterruptedly .
He also mentioned that one gantry crane can handle one lakh TEUs and the port now possesses 10 gantry cranes which can easily handle 10 lakh TEUs containers. Following the expansion of port yard, more than 50 thousand containers may be accommodated at a time.
Port chairman further told that govt is cordially working to minimize the cost of doing business and the CPA as per work plan executing the Time to Action operation which makes positive changes in the port activities.
Arrivals of ships in port 3,807 and 3,747 during the period of 2019 and 2018 respectively. Mentionable that 33.88lakh TEUs containers handled in 2019 which was 29.03 lakh TEUs in 2018.
