Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest container carrier, is in talks to invest up to $400 million in Bangladesh’s Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (ICT), signaling growing global interest in the country’s logistics and port infrastructure.
The potential investment, industry sources said, would be aimed at expanding capacity, modernizing cargo-handling facilities, and enhancing multimodal connectivity between Dhaka and the country’s principal maritime gateway, Chattogram port. The upgrade is expected to ease congestion, reduce logistics costs, and strengthen Bangladesh’s role in regional and global supply chains.
Pangaon ICT, located on the banks of the Shitalakkhya River near Dhaka, has struggled to attract sustained cargo volumes since its launch in 2013 due to high transport costs, limited vessel services, and customs bottlenecks. The proposed MSC deal could transform the underutilized terminal into a major inland hub, complementing ongoing infrastructure investments across the country.
Officials from the Ministry of Shipping and the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) declined to comment on the details but confirmed that discussions with international operators are underway to revitalize Pangaon.
If finalized, the investment would represent one of the largest private foreign commitments in Bangladesh’s inland logistics sector and align with the government’s strategy to promote waterway cargo movement as a cost-effective and greener alternative to road and rail.
