Improves Capacity by 10% to Ease Container Gridlock

To container congestion and improve operational efficiency, Chittagong Port the country’s largest seaport has expanded its storage capacity by nearly 10 percent. The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has added 5,482 TEUs of storage space through new yard construction and renovations.

CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk said the Authority has been regularly upgrading and expanding yards, sheds, and facilities to meet growing demand. “Several yards have been renovated in the past year, and new ones are being built to ensure smooth operations,” he said.

With the latest expansion, the port’s total storage capacity has risen from 53,518 TEUs to around 59,000 TEUs, allowing it to handle more containers than ever before. Faruk noted that operational activities are currently running smoothly, with around 47,000-48,000 TEUs stored at present. He also added, The port has also increased its vessel-handling capacity. “ Now, it can handled up to 12-13 ships daily. For this reason reducing export lead times significantly,”

Several more yard projects are expected to be completed this year, pushing the total storage capacity to about 62,000 TEUs. At present, around 6,000 TEUs of export-oriented containers are being pre-stacked due to sufficient yard space.

However, a locomotive shortage at Bangladesh Railway has slowed the transfer of containers to the Dhaka ICD, leading to increased yard pressure. CPA is in constant coordination with the railway authorities to resolve the issue.

Faruk also mentioned that about 10,000 containers are awaiting auction, and with 2,000 more at Dhaka ICD, the overall number of containers exceeds the usual volume by near 12,000 units.

Highlighting operational improvements, he said the waiting time for ships at outer anchorage has dropped to just 0–2 days, while the average turnaround time now stands at 2.58 days.