Patenga container terminal in operation soon

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is going to start operation at the newly constructed Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) within a short time.

Earlier, the CPA decided to start operation at the terminal on an experimental basis from July 21 last, but the decision was not implemented.

“Now initiatives have been taken to start regular operations in PCT. Although no date has been fixed yet, the ships will start berthing at the terminal soon,” CPA Secretary Mohammad Omar Faruk told The Business Post on Thursday.

The port authorities have decided to start operation at the terminal although a process is underway to appoint an international operator for the terminal.

Omar Faruk said until the appointment of an international operator, the port authorities will manage the ship handling operations at Patenga terminal.

“It will take months to complete the appointment process of the operator. After operator’s appointment, it will take several months more to bring the equipment for the full-scale operation of the terminal,” he said, adding, “That is why the port authorities have decided to start ship handling at the terminal instead of the leaving it unused.”

Following the government-to-government negotiation between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Saudi Arabian company Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) and the shipping ministry in 2019. In August this year, the shipping ministry nominated RSGT to operate PCT.

According to MoU, RSGT will be responsible for equipping and running the new terminal under a long-term concession from the CPA.

The World Bank Group’s private sector subsidiary International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the transaction adviser to determine the financial arrangements with RSGT. IFC will submit its report soon, said port sources.