Written by The Banking Post
Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) will enforce revised tariffs across 23 service categories from midnight on October 14, ending a one-month suspension granted after fierce opposition from businesses.
According to a CPA circular, all vessels, containers, and cargoes arriving after the deadline will be subject to the new rates. The increase marks the port’s first major tariff adjustment in nearly four decades.
Under the revised structure, container-handling charges will see the steepest jump. The fee for handling a 20-foot container will rise 37 per cent to Tk 16,244 from Tk 11,849. Import containers will cost an additional Tk 5,720, while export containers will rise by Tk 3,045. Loading and unloading fees are set to increase by about Tk 3,000 per container. Cargo-handling charges per kilogram will also climb nearly 37 per cent, from Tk 1.28 to Tk 1.75.
Vessel waiting charges have been sharply revised upward, with penalties doubling after 12 hours and rising as high as 900 per cent for delays beyond 36 hours. Piloting fees are set at $800 per vessel, while tugging charges will jump to $6,830.
Business leaders have warned the hike will hurt trade at a time when exporters are already struggling with rising costs. “The port is meant to facilitate trade, not operate as a profit-making venture. Yet, tariffs are going up without any improvement in service quality,” said the president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, calling for gradual adjustments instead of sudden hikes.
The Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSSA) also expressed concern, saying the move will push up freight costs and disrupt international shipping contracts. “Foreign shipping lines may have no choice but to raise charges, further straining Bangladesh’s foreign trade,” said its chairman, adding that trade contracts require months of notice, not weeks.
Chattogram Port handles 92 per cent of Bangladesh’s seaborne trade and 98 per cent of containerised cargo. In 2024, it processed 3.28 million TEUs, up from 3.05 million the year before, and dealt with around 130 million tonnes of cargo and more than 4,000 vessels.
