APM Terminals has begun construction of the $550 million Laldia Container Terminal at Chattogram Port in Bangladesh, marking the start of one of the country’s largest port infrastructure investments. The greenfield terminal is being developed under a public-private partnership with the Chattogram Port Authority.
The terminal is being built on 49.15 acres at Laldia Char in Patenga along the Karnaphuli River. APM Terminals will design, finance, build and operate the facility under a DBFOT model, with a 30-year concession and an option for a further 15-year extension.
Once operational, the terminal is expected to add more than 800,000 TEUs of annual container-handling capacity and accommodate vessels carrying up to 6,000 TEUs, roughly twice the size of ships currently able to berth directly at Chattogram.
The facility will feature a 616-metre jetty, seven ship-to-shore cranes, 32 electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes and 41 electric terminal tractors. The use of electric equipment is expected to support more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly port operations.
The project is also expected to reduce Bangladesh’s reliance on smaller feeder vessels and regional transshipment hubs such as Colombo and Singapore. Direct calls by larger ships could shorten transit times, reduce cargo handling and improve logistics efficiency for the country’s export-oriented industries.
The Laldia terminal is targeted for full operation by 2030, strengthening Chattogram Port’s capacity and Bangladesh’s connectivity with global shipping networks.