Ctg Port extends suspension of quadruple store rent on FCL containers until 31 Oct
According to a notice issued by CPA, the decision follows an earlier one-month pause that was due to expire on 22 September
The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has extended the suspension of a steep penalty on container storage until 31 October, giving importers more time to clear goods without facing the fourfold rent increase that took effect earlier this year.
According to a notice issued by CPA yesterday (22 September) night, the decision — approved by the CPA Board on 16 September — follows an earlier one-month pause that was due to expire on 22 September.
Officials confirmed that the order carries approval from the competent authority and will remain in force until further notice.
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The quadruple rent was first imposed on 10 March 2025 at both Chattogram Port and Dhaka's Kamalapur Inland Container Depot (excluding Pangaon ICT) under Section 160 of the Regulations for Working of Chittagong Port (Cargo & Container), 2001.
Why the penalty was imposed
Port officials introduced the measure after a sharp rise in the number of imported Full Container Load (FCL) containers began choking yard space and slowing operations.
The penalty, applied on top of the normal storage slabs, multiplied daily rent by four from the first day after the free period to discourage importers from using the port as a warehouse.
What the fees mean
Store rent is the daily charge for containers that remain inside the port beyond the four-day grace period. Before the March hike, importers paid $6–$24 a day for a 20-foot container and $12–$48 a day for a 40-foot container, depending on how long the box stayed.
Under the revised policy, those rates jumped to $24–$96 and $48–$192 per day respectively once the free period expired.
The CPA argued that the increase was necessary to break a pattern of importers delaying deliveries and to free up yard space for incoming shipments. However, business leaders, particularly in the ready-made garment sector, warned that the steep rise in costs would hurt production since many containers carry raw materials for apparel factories.
The CPA has urged all importers to take delivery of containers as quickly as possible to avoid renewed congestion once the higher charges are reinstated.
