Written by The Banking Post
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is moving ahead with four major terminal projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to boost capacity and bring the country’s busiest seaport up to international standards.
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said international tendering for several terminals is already underway. “We intend to appoint at least the first operator at the New-mooring Container Terminal (NCT), Laldia Container Terminal, and Bay Terminal by the end of December this year,” he said on August 10.
The projects include the Laldia Container Terminal, Bay Terminal (Terminals 1 and 2), the New NCT with its Overflow Container Yard (OCY), and the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT). They cover equipment, operations, and maintenance, with foreign operators expected to run the PCT, NCT, and Bay Terminals.
On May 14, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus visited the port and stressed engaging leading global port operators. “The enhanced port facilities will attract foreign investment and boost Bangladesh’s economy. We are inviting the top global port management companies to turn Chattogram into a world-class facility,” he said.
Several global firms are already in the pipeline. Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) began operating the newly built PCT in June under a 22-year PPP concession, the first time a foreign company has run a port terminal in Bangladesh. Singapore’s PSA has signed on for Bay Terminal operations, while Denmark’s APM Terminals — part of Maersk — is set to build a fully automated, eco-friendly Laldia Terminal.
Feasibility studies are ongoing: Singapore and Dubai’s DP World are reviewing Bay Terminal 1 and 2 under G2G arrangements, while the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Denmark are assessing Laldia Terminal. NCT is also being reviewed for implementation with DP World.
Following the end of SaifPowertec’s contract on July 6, Chattogram Dry Dock Limited, managed by the Bangladesh Navy, temporarily took over NCT operations.
Officials say the PPP-driven expansion will not only modernise infrastructure but also strengthen Bangladesh’s role as a key maritime hub in South Asia.
