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[🇧🇩] Sea Ports/Air Ports/River Ports/Bridges/Mega Projects

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[🇧🇩] Sea Ports/Air Ports/River Ports/Bridges/Mega Projects
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Short Summary: Development of infrastructures across the country.

Govt pushes for 2025 launch of Ctg Bay Terminal project​

The project involves multiple supporting projects. The proposal for a key side project to construct a seven-km navigational access channel and a six-km breakwater will be finalised and approved by 25 December​


Infographics: TBS
Infographics: TBS

Infographics: TBS

The government is planning to start the construction of the Bay Terminal at Chattogram Port next year, a landmark project anticipated to boost the capacity of the country's main trade gateway by up to sixfold.

The project involves multiple supporting projects. The proposal for a key side project to construct a seven-km navigational access channel and a six-km breakwater will be finalised and approved by 25 December. Other proposals are also in the making, according to a decision made during a special meeting chaired by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday (12 December).

Sources present in the meeting told TBS that the access channel proposal will be presented for final approval at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) meeting in the first half of January 2025.

A breakwater is a coastal structure designed to protect a port from waves and storms and a navigational access channel is a dredged path that allows ships to safely approach and leave a port. This supporting project will pave the way for the construction of three terminals under the main project.

In June this year, the World Bank approved a $650 million loan to fund this side project and the government is eager to prepare the DPP quickly to sign the loan agreement.

Adviser to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and the Ministry of Railways Fouzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain and key officials from relevant ministries were present in the meeting held at the Finance Division.

Fauzul Kabir Khan told TBS that the World Bank board has already approved a loan for the side project. The government had intended to sign the loan agreement by December, but this has been delayed. Plans are now in place to finalise the agreement as soon as possible.

Further steps have also been taken to accelerate the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) activities related to the main project. The Roads and Railways ministries have been instructed to speed up their respective side projects for the terminal, he said.

With the ECNEC approval expected in January, project implementation will also begin next year, Fouzul Kabir added.

A senior official from the Economic Relations Division (ERD), speaking anonymously, told TBS, "The government is quickly preparing the proposal to secure the World Bank loan on time. The global lender has been urging for the agreement signing and is highly interested in the project. It even offered to finance Terminal 3 which the Chittagong Port Authority plans to construct with its own funding."

Terminals 1 and 2 will be constructed under the PPP modality.

"There is considerable interest from various other foreign companies looking to be involved in this project," he added.

In 2013, the previous Awami League government decided to expand Chattogram Port's capacity by constructing the bay terminal. That same year, a pre-feasibility study was conducted by the German firm Hamburg Port Consulting.

In 2017, a decision was made to carry out a detailed feasibility study and master plan. Following this, in 2021, a Korean company Kunhwa was awarded a work order to conduct the feasibility study and master plan. The final feasibility study was submitted to the Chittagong Port Authority.

Based on the feasibility study, the Port Authority estimated the total cost of constructing the entire bay terminal, which includes three terminals, access channels, and breakwaters, at $2.8 billion.

Of this amount, $609.44 million is allocated for each of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, while the construction of Terminal 3 is expected to cost $755.11 million. Additionally, $831 million will be spent on other works, including the side project for the navigational access channel and breakwater.

Terminal 3 will be implemented by the Chittagong Port Authority with its own funding, while the remaining two terminals will be developed under the PPP models.

According to finance ministry sources, PSA Singapore has shown interest in implementing one of the terminals, though a final decision on their involvement has not yet been made. PSA is one of the largest port operators globally, with terminals in 26 countries, including deep-sea, rail, and inland facilities.

The government has also decided in principle to appoint DP World, a UAE-based company, to develop another terminal. Established in 2005 through the merger of Dubai Port Authority and Dubai Ports International, DP World now operates 77 marine and inland terminals across 40 countries.

A Chittagong Port Authority official said, "The decision to appoint DP World and PSA Singapore is in a preliminary stage. Further negotiations are planned, with Ernst & Young, a UK-based company, appointed as the transaction advisor for the negotiation."

The Bay Terminal project also includes two key supporting projects: the construction of a 7 km access road and a 6.71 km rail track.

The Road Transport and Highways Division is responsible for the road construction, having already prepared and submitted the project's proposal to the Planning Commission. The Asian Development Bank will provide funding for this portion of the project.

Meanwhile, the proposal for the railway construction has not yet been finalised.

Project Overview

The CPA developed the Strategic Master Plan in 2013, funded by ADB and prepared by Hamburg Port Consulting, which recommended the immediate initiation of the Bay Terminal project. A preliminary feasibility study was also conducted by the same company in 2017.

The project was approved as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 4 August 2019.

According to projections, Bangladesh's container handling capacity will need to increase to 6.3 million TEUs by 2030, 8.6 million TEUs by 2035, and 11.5 million TEUs by 2040.

The CPA expects to handle approximately 12.9 million tonnes of cargo by 2027, with this number rising to 17.08 million tonnes by 2040.

Currently, the CPA operates as a river-based feeder port with limitations on vessel length, draft, and tide conditions, handling ships up to 190 meters in length, 9.5 meters in draft, and 2400 TEU capacity.

Ships often experience a three-day waiting time, which incurs an additional cost of $45,000. In contrast, the Bay Terminal will accommodate vessels of 300 meters in length, 11.5 meters in draft, and 4800 TEUs, operating 24/7, unaffected by tide conditions, thus reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

A game changer

The Bay Terminal is critical for accommodating future demand and supporting foreign direct investments (FDIs), export/import activities, and national development.

The total investment required for the Bay Terminal is estimated at nearly $3 billion, with $2.4 billion provided by global International Terminal Operators (ITOs) such as PSA, DP World, and AD Ports. The World Bank and all ITOs have expressed strong interest in investing in the project, which will also encourage future FDI.

The project will create approximately 13,500 jobs, which is highly needed in the current economic climate. Additionally, the Bay Terminal will be strategically located to improve logistics efficiency, connecting the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, inland water transport, and railways.

By 2040, as the lifespans of Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) and New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) end, the Bay Terminal will meet the growing demands of Chattogram.

Furthermore, it will be Bangladesh's first Green Port, with 30% of the area dedicated to forestation, far exceeding the 51 acres planned by the Department of Forest.

Overall, the Bay Terminal is poised to be a game changer for Bangladesh, boosting exports and providing modern, cost-effective terminal facilities that enhance speed and efficiency.
 

Ctg port posts record in container handling
A rise in foreign trade is helping the port recover from the global economic downturn

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The Chattogram port handled a record number of containers and cargoes this year thanks to an increase in foreign trade.

As of December 29, the port handled 32.58 lakh TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers, which is 6.8 percent higher than last year's 30.51 lakh TEUs and even higher than 2021's record of 32.15 lakh TEUs.

Out of the 32.58 lakh TEUs, around 17.62 lakh TEUs were import containers and 14.97 lakh export.

The port officials believe the port will be able to handle around 15,000 TEUs more in the last two days of 2024.

Container handling by the port slowed in 2022 and 2023 when the country experienced a slowdown in foreign trade, caused by global crises such as the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East, as well as domestic challenges like US dollar scarcity and rising inflation.

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) prepared the container handling data by tallying the number of import, export and empty containers that were loaded and unloaded at the port's main jetties, the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal in Keraniganj and Kamalapur Inland Container Depot in Dhaka.

A significant number of empty containers -- over 7 lakh TEUs -- were also included in the total.

Every month, some 60,000 TEUs of empty containers on an average – generated after taking out the import cargo – are returned to the transhipment ports.

Meanwhile, the port handled a total of 12.31 crore tonnes of overall cargo, including the containerised ones, this year until December 29, toppling last year's record of 12.02 crore tonnes.

The increase in container and cargo handling demonstrates the enhanced capacity and efficiency of the port, said CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk.

He expressed hope that such growth in annual container throughput would contribute to the port securing a higher ranking among the world's 100 busiest container ports.

Faruk highlighted that the phased addition of various new types of equipment to the port's fleet played a significant role in enhancing its capacity.

The rise in container and cargo handling also indicates that the country's foreign trade is expanding and gradually recovering from recent economic challenges.

The acute container congestion, which hit the port during the political unrest in the July-August period, eased gradually with coordinated efforts of the port's officials and users, said Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Chairman Syed Md Arif.​
 

Mongla Port generates Tk 2.1b revenue in first half of FY2024-25
UNB
Published :
Jan 10, 2025 21:47
Updated :
Jan 10, 2025 21:48

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Mongla Port has earned Tk 2.10 billion in revenue during the first six months of the fiscal year 2024-2025, handling significant imports and exports.

During this period, 413 commercial vessels arrived at the port, while 5,637 vehicles were imported through 10 car-carrying ships.

In the meantime, the port managed a total of 52,84,471 tonnes of goods in imports and exports, according to a press release from the port authorities.

In addition, the influx of foreign commercial vessels at Mongla Port surged as 2025 began. A total of 28 commercial ships have docked at the port in the first 10 days of January.

On Friday, two container ships carrying cargo for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant were anchored at Mongla Port. As of now, 18 ships are stationed across various points of the port, said the release.

Deputy Director of Mongla Port Authority Md Makruzzaman said that the arrival of foreign commercial ships at Mongla Port has increased as 2025 began.

“Currently, there are 18 commercial ships at different locations in the port's Pashur Channel. These ships carry various products including coal, fertiliser, clinker, LPG, container transport and stone,” he mentioned.

The release further highlighted a positive growth trajectory for Mongla Port, noting a 2.30 percent increase in the arrival of foreign commercial ships, a 9.72 percent rise in cargo volume, a 16.78 percent increase in container traffic and a 13 percent growth in vehicle imports during the fiscal year 2023-2024 compared to the previous year.​
 
As a part of improving Northern Bangladesh Airports, Saidpur is seeing some major improvements

- Improved and expanded aircraft apron parking areas

- Expanding runway width from 25 feet to 100 feet

- Improving runway load bearing capacity from 17 PCN to 45 PCN (ACN-PCN method - Wikipedia)

- Adding peripheral patrol road for airport

- Improving reflective marking, lighted signage and night time area lighting using high power luminaires

It may be mentioned here that Abdul Momen Limited is conducting the contract work and similar work is also being undertaken at Thakurgaon and Lalmonirhat airports. Saidpur sees almost 1500 passengers on a daily basis.

 

Ctg Port: Container transport resumes after 3 days

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File photo

Container transport to and from the Chittagong Port resumed this evening after three days as prime movers' drivers and helpers finally withdrew their work abstention.

The drivers of container-ferrying vehicles resumed work at 8:00pm after a successful two-and-a-half-hour-long meeting with law enforcement agencies at the Office of Deputy Commissioner (Port) of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police, CMP DC Badrul Alam Molla confirmed to The Daily Star.

Prime mover workers enforced the work abstention on Tuesday night following a clash between a group of prime mover drivers and security guards of Chattogram DC Park located beside Chattogram Port Toll Road at Fouzderhat in Sitakunda upazila.

The following stalemate suspended container transport between the port and 21 private inland container depots (ICDs) located in and around the port city.

Two vessels sailed from the port today, leaving over 300 TEUs of export containers since these containers could not be sent to the port from different private ICDs due to the non-operation of container carrying vehicles.

Md Selim Khan, president of Chattogram District Prime Mover Trailer Workers Union, told The Daily Star that the administration assured of keeping the DC Park closed temporarily and taking steps to create an alternative route for visitors to reach the park so that they do not need using the Port Toll Road for going there.

Prime movers and other cargo carrying vehicles to and from the port face hurdles to cross the area due to acute gridlock caused everyday by visitors' vehicles as the park is located just beside the busy road, he said.

Tuesday's clash ensued when the park's security guards assaulted a driver of a prime mover for not slowing down promptly according to their signal when a private car was exiting the park.

The workers withdrew the strike at 6:00am on Thursday after a meeting between Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam held the previous night.

But drivers started striking again at 10:00am Thursday when they found the park was opened despite assurances from the administration of keeping it closed.​
 

Inbound vessels struggle to berth at Ctg port
Port users blame delayed departures amid container backlog

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A long queue of inbound vessels has formed at the outer anchorage of Chattogram port as sufficient berths are unavailable due to delays in scheduled departures caused by disruptions in container movement late last week.

Operators of prime movers, which are vehicles used for transporting import-export containers, had abstained from work for more than three days due to a dispute with security personnel at Chattogram DC Park in Sitakunda upazila.

And although cargo movement resumed on Friday night, the acute backlog of containers in port yards and private inland container depots (ICDs) may persist for another two weeks or more, according to port users.

The three-day stalemate delayed the scheduled departure of at least six vessels, with each extending their stay by one to four days in hopes of securing their previously allotted containers.

However, four of these vessels left the port with less than their anticipated load as 1,900 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), comprising 900 TEUs of export containers and 1,000 TEUs of empty containers, were left behind.

And since these vessels had to stay additional days at the port jetties, berthing delays occurred for other incoming vessels.

As of yesterday morning, a total of 14 vessels seeking berths were waiting at the outer anchorage of the port.

When transport workers began their strike on February 5, only three vessels were awaiting berths. But with delays lasting between one and three days, other vessels added to their numbers.

Berth operators assume that some of these inbound vessels may have to wait even longer since some of the outbound vessels have extended their stay to collect the allotted load.

Besides, import, export, and empty containers have piled up at port yards and ICDs amid the halt in cargo movement.

The port's busiest terminals – New Mooring Container Terminal and Chittagong Container Terminal – have reached 80 percent of their full capacity of 26,000 TEUs.

Nazmul Haque, executive director of Saif Powertec Limited, which operates the two terminals, said the backlog began because no containers were transferred to and from ICDs during the three-day strike.

He added that on average, more than 2,500 TEUs of import containers are delivered or transferred to ICDs each day. And while this did not happen during the three-day period, another 3,000 TEUs had arrived at the time.

Haque also said at least 40 percent of the port's yard space must be kept empty to ensure smooth operations. And considering the situation, he fears it may take two weeks to clear the backlog.

Likewise, ICDs are struggling to clear the backlog, with 19 that handle import-export containers currently holding double their full capacity.

These 19 ICDs usually accommodate 7,000 to 8,000 TEUs of export containers. But due to the three-day stalemate, the number of export-laden containers they now hold has reached 14,000 TEUs.

Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association, said they were still occupied with 12,000 TEUs as of yesterday afternoon even though a significant volume was transported since the strike ended.

"Any sort of stalemate creates a chain effect at every stage of the supply chain, causing backlogs in every facility," said Sikder, who fears that it will take another 15 days to clear the backlog.​
 

BR test runs passenger train on new Jamuna railway bridge

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Photo Courtesy: Jamuna Railway Bridge Project Authority

Bangladesh Railway today started operating passengers train through the newly built Jamuna Railway Bridge on trial basis, a month before its formal inauguration.

The longest dedicated railway bridge of the country will be inaugurated formally on March 18, Al Fattah Md Masudur Rahman, additional director general (infrastructure) of BR, told The Daily Star today.

Masudur, also project director of bridge, said they have started using one of the two lines of bridge for the trial operation from today.

Earlier, they gave several trial runs without passengers.

He said the president of JICA, the financer of the over Tk 17,000 crore project, will take part in the bridge inauguration programme.

The 4.8km double line dual gauge bridge over Jamuna River will boost rail connectivity between Dhaka and northwestern regions.​
 

Dhaka airport still not fog-ready
Passengers suffer for frequent flight diversions; airlines bear losses as CAAB fails to upgrade ILS

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Passengers are experiencing severe difficulties due to frequent flight diversions caused by low visibility amid dense fog during winter, as pilots are unable to land aircrafts in the absence of a Category 2 Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Dhaka airport.

Aviation experts said upgrading the airport's existing Category 1 ILS to Category 2 would resolve these issues entirely. However, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has yet to complete the necessary work.

ILS is a precision runway approach aid that relies on radio signals and high-intensity lighting arrays to provide pilots with both vertical and horizontal guidance during landings in thick fog.

Successive CAAB chiefs have assured that the installation of an upgraded ILS to ensure uninterrupted flight operations during winter would be completed soon. However, despite repeated promises, one winter has passed after another without the work being finished.

Flights are frequently diverted from Dhaka to airports in Sylhet, Chattogram, India, Bangkok, and even Malaysia when runway operations are suspended for hours due to low visibility, causing significant disruptions to flight schedules, according to officials of various airlines.

These diversions not only lead to passengers suffering, but also result in financial losses for airlines, which must bear the cost of extra fuel and various airport charges, including landing and parking fees, at alternative airports.

The disruptions also lead to delays across overall flight schedules.

"During this winter, we spent around Tk 6 crore so far due to diversion of our flights," said an official of US-Bangla Airlines.

A senior pilot of Biman Bangladesh Airlines said diverting a flight to another airport and returning to Dhaka requires a substantial amount of fuel, depending on the distance. "The additional take-offs and landings caused by diversions also lead to increased maintenance costs, as aircraft engines require overhauling sooner than expected," he added.

Captain Ashfaq Ur Rahman Khan, flight safety chief of Novoair, said the absence of ILS-2 forces airlines to waste time, energy, and money while passengers continue to suffer.

Captain Md Kamrul Islam, head of safety at Air Astra, said the Dhaka airport actually requires a Category 3 ILS system, as major airports, including Kolkata, already have Category 2.

Explaining the matter, Kamrul said a Category-3 ILS enables a pilot to land even in zero visibility.

Novoair Managing Director Md Mofizur Rahman said it's really disappointing that CAAB failed to upgrade the Dhaka airport's ILS to Category 2 even after years.

According to pilots, a minimum visibility of 800 metres is required for landing at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Upgrading the airport's ILS would involve the implementation of a highly accurate radio signal-based navigation aid providing horizontal and vertical guidance. One type of signal gives the glide path, while another indicates the runway's central line, offering pilots precise bearings for landing.

CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan said nearly all procedural and mechanical work for the ILS-2 project, including the installation of runway lights, has been completed.

He said the final step involves acquiring an aircraft to assess and survey the system's functionality. Despite issuing open tenders three times, CAAB has not received any responses for the required aircraft. Efforts are ongoing to complete the task as soon as possible.​
 

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