Chattogram port sees 27.66% surge in export container handling in May

Export laden container handling through Chattogram Port rose significantly in May 2025, marking a 27.66% increase from April,, according to the latest data from the Chattogram Port Authority.

A total of 94,780 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of export-laden containers were handled in May, up by 20,532 TEUs compared to the previous month.

In contrast, import container handling showed little change, increasing by only 348 TEUs or 0.27% during the same period. Overall, the port managed 270,902 TEUs of imports, exports, and empty containers in May, up from 241,457 TEUs in April – a 10.87% rise.

Exporters attribute the increase in export container handling to a combination of regular monthly growth and the rush to ship goods ahead of Eid-ul-Adha on 7th June.

"Many garment manufacturers expedited their shipments in May to avoid delays during the Eid holidays," said Mohammad Shamsul Azam, director of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). "That's why export volumes surged last month."

Year-on-year, export handling also showed solid growth. Compared to May 2024, export container movement increased by 9,692 TEUs or 13% in May 2025. However, total container handling saw only a modest 0.22% year-on-year increase, rising from 270,303 TEUs in May 2024 to 270,902 TEUs in May 2025.

Chattogram Port plays a central role in Bangladesh's foreign trade, managing approximately 92% of the country's total import-export activities and 98% of container traffic handled by all seaports nationwide. The port processes over 3.2 million TEUs of imports, exports, and empty containers annually.

Most export goods are packed into containers at 19 private inland container depots (ICDs) in Chattogram before being transported to the port. These ICDs also handle around 50 types of imported goods and store empty containers.

"Export volume has been growing by about 10% each month in 2024. As a result, shipments from depots have also increased accordingly," said Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association.

From July 2024 to May this year, the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, Chattogram Port, along with Kamalapur ICD, Pangao Inland Container Terminal (ICT), and its own port yard, handled a total of 3,042,521 TEUs. During this period, 3,755 vessels called at the port.