CHITTAGONG: The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is going to set up first-ever ‘Bay Terminal’ on 1,200 acres of area to enhance the capability of the sea port, reports BSS.
The CPA embarks upon the Bay Terminal to cope with the ever growing pressure on export-import container handling by the port. German company 'Sellhorn/HPC/KS/JB' is carrying out the feasibility study since August at a cost of Tk 7.9 crore , Rafiul Alam, executive engineer of CPA told BSS.
Earlier, CPA selected Sellhorn/HPC/KS/JB out of some 13 firms and signed a memorandum of understanding on 17 August. The Sellhorn/HPC/KS/JB has been assigned to submit its final report within May 2017.
The German study team has already detected around 14 metres draught in some points of proposed 6.15 kilometres long land at Halishahar area in the city, he said adding that the area is enough for big vessels, usually called mother vessels, to anchor there.
CPA officials opined that the draught is almost equivalent to the much-talked-about deep seaport at Payra in Patuakhali and Moheshkhali in Cox's Bazar. Based on primary findings of the bright prospects, the CPA is considering constructing the terminal on the proposed land.
The island, located a bit outside the main port channel, is just visible from tourists resort Patenga sea beach and is at the western part of Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ).
It is just 6.15 kilometres off Anandabazar, an old area on the south part of Halishahar of the port city, said Zillur Rahman, chief estate officer of Chittagong Port.
The bulk carriers discharge cargoes at the Kutubdia point of outer anchorage with around 14 metres draught. Later, lighter vessels bring the cargoes to the Chittagong port from the outer anchorage, he added. A deep seaport is usually equipped with large area and multiple berths while this terminal will have two berths, the sources said.
Expert sources said once the terminal is constructed, the cost of doing business, especially external trade, is expected to fall as direct cargo handling from mother or big vessels would save time and huge money.
"With implementation of the Bay Terminal, the growth and productivity of Chittagong Port will increase 10 times," he added. As a result, mother vessels which usually carry around ten thousand containers will directly sail for different foreign ports from the proposed bay terminal. The proposed bay terminal will play a vital role in container handling as no mother vessel enters the Chittagong Port mainly due to low draught ranging from eight to nine metres in the Karnaphuli channel.
Mohammad Zafar Alam, Member (admin and planning) of the CPA, said the port authority considers constructing a Bay Terminal considering the prime port's ever-increasing cargo handling, export and import volume, transit and transshipment.
Zafar Alam said container handling is expected to reach to 23 lakh Twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs) at the year end. The CPA has invited tender to procure modern equipments to increase capacity of the port.
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Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.
Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.