Chattogram Port joins ‘three-millionaire club’
The 60 members of the ‘three-millionaire club’ including Chattogram Port have handled 30 lakh containers this year
Chattogram Port has secured a position in the 'three-millionaire club' by handling 30 lakh TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit) containers in 2019.
A total of 60 ports across the globe have handled 30 lakh containers this year. The port touched the milestone on December 21 at 8:00 am.
The number of containers handled by Chattogram port includes those by CCT (Chittagong Container Terminal), Newmooring Container Terminal (NCT), GCB (General Cargo Berth), Kamalapur ICD and Pangaon Inland Container Terminal, which are all under the Chittagong Port Authority.
The port posted the record on December 21, having 10 more days to conclude the year. Considering the 8,500 container handling capacity per day, the port will handle a further 1 lakh containers this year.
The Chittagong Port Authority said the use of new types of machinery and increasing the number of gantry cranes at the port have enabled them to reach the target. Besides, businesses contributed to the success by increasing import-export through the port.
Chattogram Port secured 64th position among the 100 busiest container handling ports of the world in 2019. In 2018, the port was on 70th position in the list of 'One Hundred Ports' prepared by Lloyd's List, a famous maritime journal.
The port handled 20.24 lakh TEU containers in 2015, and this number increased gradually. The port handled 23.47 lakh containers in 2016, 26.67 lakh in 2017 and 29.03 lakh in 2018.
Most of the containers were handled at NCT and CCT this year. The two terminals contributed more than 17 lakh containers to the total handled till December 21, 2019.
Hasina Arju, director of traffic management at the Chittagong Port Authority, said the achievement is a landmark for them.
She said the capacity of the port has been increasing over time, and businesses have also contributed to it by increasing export and import through the port.
Mahbubul Alam, president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said the record is certainly positive for the country's business.
"Container handling will get a big boost once the Bay Terminal is built. Apart from this, the port will also improve its position in the list of the world's 100 busiest ports," he hoped.