Sarwaruddin, Chattogram Bureau :
The long waited Moheshkhali Deep Seaport (now renamed Matarbari ) under Moheskhali Upazila of CoxsBazar district is expected to operate commercial activities from 2023 . With this aim of operating commercial deep seaport, government has taken this project as a first track priority basis .
The Matarbari deep sea port will be build with the models of Kalima and Nigata(east) seaport of Japan.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of Chattogram Port Authority Commodore Zulfikar Aziz while addressing a seminar on Stakeholder Consultation workshop on Jaica Preparatory Survey of Matarbari Port Development’ held at Port Training Institute auditorium in the port city on Monday as chief guest. Officials of JICA in Bangladesh attended the seminar.
The chief guest on the seminar told that after completion of the ongoing projects including PCT, Laldia terminal, Bay Terminal, this pioneer port Chittagong will have capacity of 70 lakh TEUs containers annually. Port chairman also said mother vessels sizes 325 to 350 meters long carrying 8000 TEUs containers will be able to anchor in the port berth .
He also s aid this deep sea port will be used for 1200 MWs capacity coal based power plant.
Port chairman hoped that the construction of the much talked deep sea port will be completed by 2023 .
Among others JICA representative Wasau, senior Director of Overseas coastal Development Institute of Japan Takasi Shimada, CPA member Mr. Jafar Alam also spoke in it.
The CPA member delivered the whole scenario of the deep sea port through multimedia projections.
Moreover, CPA will act as coordinating agency of the Matarbari coalbased power plant.
CPA member in his presentation said that the Intitiative of Bay Bengal Industrial Growth Belt’ after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Japan in 2014.
Japan Prime Minister emphasis on development of power section, expansion of communications, and establishment of industrial zone under the initiative.
Bangladesh Govt also called upon the Japanese govt for preparing a master plan for integrated development in south Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar .
Then JICA prepared a master plan for coal based power plant in Matarbari in 2016.
The seminar was told that a feasibility study for development of 16 meters draft and 250 metes wide channel was also conducted for the sea port.
Jafar Alam told that the coal based power plant and the deep sea port will be developed with the financial assistance of Japan government and the CPA will supervise the port activities and will operate.
The vessels with high draft can not take berth in any seaports of Bangladesh, so as to ensure berth facilities of vessels with deep draft, the project for developing Matarbari seaport was taken as priority project of the government under seventh five plan, sources added.
Referring to ports of neighbouring countries, Jafar Alam said that vessels carrying 2500 TEUs containers can take berth in Chattogram Port whereas vessels with 19000 TEUs, 13000 TEUs and 7000 TEUs can take berth in Colomboo seaport, Japan Nigata seaport and Chennai seaport respectively.
Matarbari will be the first deep sea port of the country and in first phase two terminals will be developed for berth ing 350 meters long 16 meters draft vessels carrying 8000 TEUs containers .
Initiatives were also taken for developing infrastructure of road and rail communications to and from Chattagram port , CPA chief added.
