Chittagong Port will handle more capacity

Chittagong Port is capable of handling additional load if it opens up to India and other neighbouring countries, said officials yesterday. But they suggested widening hinterland and developing infrastructure for goods transportation in and out of the port. If the port is opened to the neighbouring countries, with its existing resources, it will be able to bear the additional pressure these countries may generate, said the officials of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA). "CPA is ready to develop infrastructure and other facilities, if the government gives the green light to the port to open up to India and Nepal and Bhutan as well, " said Nazrul Islam, the acting chairman of CPA. The port's storage capacity stands at 31 ,000 TEUs (twenty equivalent units). Around 11 lakh TEU containers were handled last year. With 8.5 percent annual growth, the port's two- thirds capacity is now being utilised, the officials said, pointing also to underutilisation of berths. If the three neighbours use the port, additional load is unlikely to cross 1 lakh TEUs, the officials added. Meanwhile, a feasibility study carried out for the proposed deep-sea port, due in 2020 , shows that the use of the port by seven northeast Indian states (collectively known as Seven Sisters) along with Nepal, Bhutan and Kunming province of China could generate an additional container handling of around 1 lakh TEUs a year. In a recent letter, the CPA informed the parliamentary standing committee on finance ministry that the port with its existing resources can support additional load from the Seven Sisters up to 2015. Bangladesh's annual handling of containers may rise up to 20 lakh TEUs by 2015 and 25 lakh TEUs by 2020 , according to the CPA. "With installation of equipment, development of back-up facilities at NCT and implementation of proposed Karnaphuli Container Terminal (KCT), the port's handling capacity may rise to 40 lakh TEUs by that time," said CPA Secretary Syed Farhaduddin Ahmed. In this context the CPA official said the Inland Container Terminal (ICT) at Pangaon near Dhaka, construction of which is now progressing fast, will contribute a lot to container transportation through waterway and ease pressure on roads. Acting Chairman Nazrul Islam has also hoped that implementation of the projects such as NCT back- up facility and capital dredging of the Karnaphuli river will significantly raise the port capacity.