Four container scanners planned at Ctg port

The government is planning to install four modern container scanners at four export gates of the Chittagong port to enhance non-intrusive inspection as part of ensuring product security.

The shipping ministry has taken up a project titled “Installation of Container Scanner at Export Gate to Implement ISPS Code in Chittagong Port” in this regard.

The project proposal had been sent to the Planning Commission for the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council’s (ECNEC) approval, a senior official of the planning ministry told The Business Post.

The project cost is estimated at Tk 89 crore, which will come from the government exchequer. The Chittagong Development Authority will implement the project by June 2023.

The project aims to reduce container congestion at the port. Out of 12, only four gates of the port currently have container scanners, leaving a large portion of import and export containers out of scanning facilities with a risk of duty evasion.

Around 75 per cent of the country’s import trade, and 90 per cent of exports, is conducted through the port.

“The project evaluation committee will hold a meeting soon. We will send the project proposal to the ECNEC for approval after getting the project evaluation committee’s clearance,” a senior official of the Planning Commission’s Physical Infrastructure Division said.

Cargo scanning costs will reduce once the project is implemented. The existing human interventions in cargo scanning will reduce as well.

According to the project proposal, only two scanners at the port are suitable for scanning export and import cargo. 956 export and 1,150 import containers are mobilised at the port every day.

Annual container handling at the port crossed 30 lakh twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2019.