Saudi operator RSGT handles 78 vessels, 154,564 TEUs at Patenga Container Terminal in 2025
The volume remained less than half of the terminal’s annual capacity of around 450,000 TEUs.
Saudi operator Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) Bangladesh handled 154,564 TEUs of containers at the Patenga Container Terminal in 2025, operating a total of 78 vessels during the year.
The volume, however, remained less than half of the terminal's annual capacity of around 450,000 TEUs.
Company data show that exports accounted for the larger share of throughput, with 93,340 TEUs, while imports stood at 61,224 TEUs, pointing to stronger outbound cargo movement through the terminal.
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The operator said it will be able to run the terminal at full capacity by May this year after commissioning four ship-to-shore (STS) cranes.
Slow start, sharp turnaround from mid-year
Monthly figures reflect a weak start to the year, followed by a strong recovery from May.
Container handling stood at 5,221 TEUs in January and 5,548 TEUs in February, before rising to 6,978 TEUs in March.
Volumes then dropped sharply to 3,464 TEUs in April.
The turnaround began in May after scanners had been installed and import container handling started at the terminal.
RSGT handled 14,272 TEUs in May and 13,390 TEUs in June, followed by 14,865 TEUs in July.
August emerged as the peak month, with 24,599 TEUs handled – the highest monthly throughput since RSGT began operations at the Patenga Container Terminal.
Although volumes eased after August, they remained well above first-quarter levels.
The terminal handled 14,081 TEUs in September, 18,304 TEUs in October and 19,409 TEUs in November, before closing the year with 14,433 TEUs in December.
Scanner installation boosts throughput
RSGT launched operations at the Patenga Container Terminal in June 2024 after signing the concession agreement in December 2023.
Initially, the terminal was limited to handling export containers, as it lacked the mandatory scanner required for import cargo.
As a result, early throughput remained weak. According to industry sources, repeated requests to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to install a scanner went unanswered.
In May 2025, RSGT installed a scanner using its own funds at a cost of around $3 million.
Import container handling began the same month, significantly boosting container volumes.
Capacity expansion and long-term focus
Industry insiders say the stronger second-half performance reflects improving operational efficiency at the Patenga Container Terminal, which has faced pressure to raise capacity and help ease congestion at Chattogram Port amid rising trade volumes.
Syed Aref Sarwar, head of commercial and public affairs at RSGT Bangladesh, said the operator is focused on long-term performance rather than short-term fluctuations.
"The first two years of our concession period have been dedicated to procuring equipment and commissioning them so that the terminal can operate at full capacity for the next 20 years," he said.
Sarwar said RSGT is on track to reach full operational capacity from May 2026, following the arrival of its four ship-to-shore (STS) crane.
"The additional equipment will significantly improve vessel handling rates and overall terminal productivity. We remain committed to being a successful and trusted partner in the country's continued growth," he added.
Strategic role in Chattogram Port
The Patenga Container Terminal is a key facility of Chattogram Port, which handles the bulk of Bangladesh's containerised trade.
Improvements in terminal operations are widely seen as critical for sustaining export growth, particularly in readymade garments and other manufacturing sectors.
The 2025 performance, marked by a rebound after weak early months, suggests RSGT is moving towards more stable, higher-capacity operations, with further gains expected once full equipment deployment is completed.
