Written by The Banking Post
The much-debated New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chittagong Port has officially transitioned to new management. Starting Monday, July 7, Chittagong Dry Dock Limited (CDDCL)—a subsidiary of the Bangladesh Navy—will oversee NCT operations for the next six months under a Direct Procurement Method (DPM) contract.
Md. Omar Faruq, Secretary of the Chittagong Port Authority, confirmed that the Ministry of Shipping has allocated Tk 42 crore to CDDCL for this interim management period, which runs through December. Over recent days, a CDDCL team has worked alongside outgoing staff from Saif Powertech Limited to ensure a seamless handover.
For the past 17 years, NCT had been managed by private operators, most recently Saif Powertech Limited, under the leadership of Managing Director Tarafdar Ruhul Amin. Their contract ended on Sunday, July 6, bringing an era of private concession to a close and restoring day-to-day operational control to the port authority.
NCT is the largest container terminal at Chittagong Port, comprising five jetties capable of handling four seagoing vessels and one river vessel simultaneously. In 2024, Chittagong Port processed a total of 3,275,627 TEUs, with NCT accounting for approximately 1,281,000 TEUs—around 44% of overall throughput.
Discussions to bring in UAE-based DP World to operate NCT began under the previous Awami League government and have continued under the current caretaker administration. A final agreement with DP World is expected by November this year.
