‘Chattogram Port to become a fully automated port’

The Chattogram Port is all set to become a fully automated port, with it already boasting a Computerised Container Terminal Management System (CTMS), which ushered in the digital era for the facility. 

Speaking at a views exchange meeting with journalists at the Shaheed Fazlur Rahman Munshi Auditorium of Chittagong Port on Sunday afternoon, Chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority Rear Admiral M Shahjahan said the port has become a fully automated port with the CTMS, which has been upgraded to a Terminal Operating System (TOS), and a data centre equivalent to Tier-2 set up. 

By setting up the data center, the port will be able to ensure uninterrupted operational automation services like modern ports of the world, he said.

Shahjahan said that on 30 March, the Cox's Bazar district administration handed over 283.27 acres of land under the Matarbari Port Development Project. Contractors will be hired soon for the port construction work. With the implementation of the Matarbari Port, commercial vessels with a depth of 18 metres will be able to pass through, which will be a milestone for the country's economy. This port will become a regional hub for trade and commerce and other ports will also serve as service ports.

He also said that a new milestones was reached by sending goods directly from the port to Europe. 

"Today [April 24] I approved a ship to operate from Chattogram port to a European port. Discussions are also underway on direct shipping to Slovenia, Portugal and Dubai. Shipping on these routes will start soon."

With the construction of the 580,000 square metre yard to increase the capacity of the port, the container capacity has been increased to 55,000. Port limit has been increased from 7 nautical miles to 50 nautical miles. Over the last decade, 390 different types of cargo and container handling equipments have been collected.

In 2021, container handling had been 32 lakh 14 thousand TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), a growth of 13.19%, and general cargo handled was 116 million tonnes.

The chairman of the port said container ships are currently arriving at the jetty within one to two days of anchorage, in which case on-arrival berthing is being provided. During the coronavirus period, many developed ports of the world saw congestion for a long time but no congestion was created in Chattogram port. 

He said the port is in the process of collecting two modern scanners for scanning export containers. In the last one year, no robbery has taken place in Chattogram port, he added, saying that the port had been declared a zero-piracy port.