Patenga terminal receives $30m crane upgrade for full-capacity operations
Each crane can lift up to 40 tonnes in single-container operations, 45 tonnes in twin-lift mode and 60 tonnes for specialised cargo.
The Patenga Container Terminal is set to enter a new phase of operations with the arrival of four advanced ship-to-shore (STS) cranes worth $30 million, a key investment that Saudi operator Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) Bangladesh says will enable the facility to operate at full capacity from July.
The specialised vessel MV Lan Hai Hong Yun, carrying the cranes, berthed at the terminal around 7pm today (19 June), according to a notice issued by the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA).
Manufactured by China's SANY Marine Heavy Industry, the custom-built cranes are expected to significantly enhance vessel-handling efficiency and container throughput. The investment follows RSGT's procurement of 14 rubber-tyred gantry cranes worth $26 million last year.
"The arrival of these cranes marks a major technological milestone for the terminal and strengthens our readiness for future growth in container traffic," Syed Aref Sarwar, head of commercial and public affairs at RSGT Bangladesh, told TBS.
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Preparing for larger vessels
The new cranes can handle container vessels up to 16 containers wide, compared with the 12- to 13-container-wide ships that currently dominate calls at Chattogram Port.
According to Aref, the investment is part of a long-term strategy to prepare the terminal for larger and more modern vessels as Bangladesh's trade volumes continue to grow.
Each crane can lift up to 40 tonnes in single-container operations, 45 tonnes in twin-lift mode and 60 tonnes for specialised cargo. Designed to comply with Chattogram Port's existing height restrictions, the equipment is compatible with both current and future vessel calls.
Green technology, higher productivity
A key feature of the cranes is their fully electric operation, producing zero direct carbon emissions and reducing reliance on fossil fuel-powered equipment.
The four cranes will allow the terminal to handle two vessels simultaneously, with two cranes assigned to each ship. Mounted on rail tracks, they can be repositioned along the berth within minutes to optimise operations.
Unloading is expected to begin shortly after the vessel berths and continue for three to four days using a specialised hydraulic transfer system.
Final step towards full utilisation
The arrival of the cranes marks the final major step in RSGT's efforts to fully operationalise the terminal.
The PCT handled 1,54,564 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and 78 vessels in 2025, well below its annual capacity of around 4,50,000 TEUs. Exports accounted for 93,340 TEUs, while imports stood at 61,224 TEUs.
Operations remained constrained during the early months of 2025 due to the absence of a mandatory scanner for import container handling. After repeated delays, RSGT installed the scanner at its own expense in May 2025, investing around $3 million.
The move enabled the terminal to start handling imports and boosted throughput. Container handling reached a record 24,599 TEUs in August last year.
Aref said the operator had spent the first two years of its concession period building the infrastructure needed for long-term performance.
"The first two years of our concession period have been dedicated to procuring and commissioning equipment so that the terminal can operate at full capacity for the next 20 years," he said.
He added that the new STS cranes would significantly improve vessel turnaround times and berth productivity, enabling the terminal to reach full operational capacity from July 2026.
The Patenga Container Terminal was handed over to RSGT in April 2024 under a 22-year concession agreement signed in December 2023. Commercial operations began in June 2024.
