The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) is struggling to cope with container congestion, as it is lagging behind in handling an additional 100,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) containers annually as the Chattogram Customs is refusing to leave the old auction warehouse inside the port, stretching across five acres, even after getting a new one.

On the condition that it would leave the five-acre warehouse, which hinders operational activities of the port, the CPA built a new auction warehouse, spending Tk 22 crore, in the Bandar Stadium area about three years ago. The customs occupied the new warehouse and started official activities there, but did not transfer the auction goods from the old one. So, the new auction warehouse remains unused.  

In repeated letters, the CPA has asked the customs to hand over possession of the warehouse. But these have gone in vein.

In 2018, the country’s premier port handled 29,03,996 TUEs of import, export and empty containers. The CPA said if the customs leaves the area, it could handle an additional 100,000 TEUs containers. Due to shortage of land inside the port, the CPA is struggling with vessels and container congestion as well.

There is a complaint that a section of customs officials do not want to take the goods to the new warehouse, fearing mismanagement of accounts of the goods. That is why they are making excuses.

CPA sources said the old auction warehouse of the customs is close to the port jetty. That is why the Chattogram Port Authority expressed interest in using it as a container yard.

Later, with agreement between the two sides, the port authorities constructed a new auction warehouse outside the port protected area, spending Tk 22 crore from its own funds, near the Bandar Stadium, in 2015.  It was inaugurated on September 2 in 2015 and the customs received it but did not empty the old one.

“We are serving letters to the customs authorities every month to empty the old warehouse, but they are not shifting those, giving excuses. So, we cannot take over the possession of the area. Although we have planned to use these five acres for container handling, we cannot implement it,” said Enamul Karim, director (traffic) of the CPA.

In this situation, on March 15, 2018 a high-level meeting was held between the CPA and the customs. It was presided over by then Shipping Minister Shahjan Khan and took place in the CPA board room. At the meeting, it was decided that the customs would empty the old warehouse within one month. But nothing has been done even after one year, said Karim.

The CPA informed at the meeting that the port can increase productivity by building a yard in the area. If the yard could be built, the port would be able to handle an additional 100,000 TEUs every year, which will reduce the congestion and cost of doing business for the businessmen.

In a letter to the customs on October 4, 2018, the CPA said that in the warehouse there are 190 destroyable vehicles. Of these, 86 were imported more than 15 years ago.  The vehicles which are not eligible for BRTA route permit can be destroyed and the remaining cars can be moved to the new warehouse.

In another letter on December 24, 2018, the CPA said 85,959 metric tonnes of auctionable and destroyable goods (about 8,000 TUEs) are lying in the port yards. These are hampering port operations severely.

Of these, 324 unit vehicles, 6,220 TUEs containers, LCl Cargo 62,035 packages and bulk cargo 6,481 packages are in the port yards.

“‘We started our official work in the new auction warehouse. But there are security problems. Electric wires and bulbs which were given during the construction of the warehouse have been stolen. So, the warehouse is in darkness. Besides, container handling equipment is not available in this warehouse,” said Tapan Chandra Dey, deputy commissioner of the auction department of the Chattogram Customs House.

“So, despite our desire, the container cannot be brought here from the port. One of the three shades of the new warehouse has some auctionable goods. The remaining two shades are empty,” he added.

However, he denied there was apathy on their part to empty the old warehouse for fear of mismanagement of accounts of the goods.