Four new private off-docks are poised to amplify the container-handling capacity of Bangladesh’s largest seaport, fostering swift delivery of export-import goods and alleviating port congestion.
With investments totalling around Taka 20 billion, these ventures are anticipated to bolster the annual handling capacity by more than 30,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers by the following year.
Presently, the nation hosts 19 private Inland Container Depots (ICDs) with a collective annual handling capacity of 76,000 TEUs of containers. Recent developments saw AK Khan and Company Ltd and Container Company of Bangladesh Ltd securing primary approval letters from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to establish off-docks in Chittagong.
Issued on February 11, these letters from the Customs Export and Bond wing of the NBR mandate certain conditions, including a one-year period of handling empty containers before obtaining final customs approval for full-fledged operations.
Notably, the NBR relaxed the requirement of locating off-docks at least 20 kilometres away from the port, aiming to mitigate traffic congestion.
CCBL, an entity of Bangladesh Railway, is slated to establish an off-dock in Halishahar of Chittagong, utilising rail routes to transport goods and circumventing road congestion. For AK Khan Group’s ICD, the NBR made concessions, considering the timing of the application predating the imposition of the 20-kilometer restriction.
Dr. Masrur Reaz, chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, advocated for more ICDs to expedite import-export deliveries, emphasising the growing demand surpassing existing capacities. To mitigate port congestion, he proposed augmenting ICDs’ capacity to handle import goods, pointing out the bottleneck caused by processing imports within the port premises.
Faisal Amin, managing director of Anchorage Limited, outlined plans to handle up to 5,000 TEUs of goods annually once full-fledged operations commence, following compliance with NBR conditions.
Meanwhile, Bay Link and Anchorage Ltd received earlier approval from the NBR to operate ICDs in Chittagong, necessitating substantial investments exceeding Taka 4.0 billion each.