Shipping agents call for cancellation of forced shipment of empty containers

Shipping agents have demanded cancelling the practice of forced shipment of empty containers.

In two separate letters, the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association and Bangladesh Container Shipping Association made the call to the Chittagong Port Authority.

In 2015-2016, the port authority introduced the practice to send back empty containers to transshipment ports such as Malaysia's Klang to ease container congestion at the port.

Prior to the return schedule, the port authorities used to send empty containers away on other ships instead of those of the concerned companies.

Saif Maritime Ltd Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Zaheer told The Business Standard that Chattogram Port has less than half of its container capacity due to reduced imports.

He emphasised the cancellation arguing that the number of empty containers is also very less.

According to Chittagong Port Authority, the container holding capacity of the port is currently 53518.

On 14 February, the container at the port was 24199 TEU and the empty container was 392 TEUS.

The BCSA letter signed by its General Secretary AS Chowdhury suggested that the practice be reintroduced if container congestion returns in the future.

Bangladesh Shipping Agent Association mentioned in the letter, due to forced shipment, MLOS face serious problems since Feeder Operators discharge containers at "No demand location" with which MLOS have no pre-arrangement and re-transportation to port of destination.

Chairman of Bangladesh Shipping Agent Association Syed Mohammad Arif told TBS that the business of the shipping sector is not good because of the global recession.

He said the port authority should cancel the forced shipment since there is no congestion at the port.

Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Md Omar Farooq told TBS that the port authority will carefully consider whether the force shipment decision can be canceled after seeing the overall situation.