ICD owners seek permission to keep containers at Ctg port terminals

Owners of the inland container depots (ICDs) at Chattogram Port have sought allocation of space in the Chattogram Container Terminal (CCT) and Newmooring Container Terminal (NCT) to accommodate 1,500 TEUs export containers to ease congestion ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.  

Meanwhile, the average TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) awaiting shipment has increased to 15,000, more than double the limit of an average of 6,000-7000, in the total of 19 private ICDs.  

Nurul Qayyum Khan, president of Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (Bicda), sent a letter to the Chattogram Port Authority on Sunday, seeking space for 1,500 TEUs containers till the day before Eid to keep the depots operational by reducing the congestion.

Like previous years, export products have been sent to ICDs much before the shipment as export manufacturing factories will remain shut during the Eid holidays, increasing the volume of export goods and export cargo containers in the depots significantly.

Currently, there are approximately 15,000 TEUs export containers, 7,200 TEUs import containers and 50,000 TEUs empty containers inside the 19 private ICDs.

Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary of the Bicda, told The Business Standard that around 2,200 to 2,300 TEUs of export cargo containers are being shipped from ICDs per day. As more than usual quantities of products have arrived at ICDs, it is difficult to load and store them in containers.

"We hope the Chattogram Port Authority will allocate separate slots for storing export containers in Chattogram Container Terminal and Newmooring Container Terminal till the day before Eid to deal with the situation," he added.

Contacted, secretary of Chattogram Port Authority Md Omar Faruk told TBS, "A proposal has been received to allocate a separate slot for storage of containers carrying export goods. The issue of slot allocation will be considered after observing the overall situation on the ground".

However, all operating activities of the private ICDs will remain suspended for 34 hours, from 12am on 28 June to 10am on 30 June, on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

The activities will be resumed from 10am on the day after Eid, said a press release of Bicda.