Staff Repoter :
Stakeholders highlighted significant concerns regarding the Chattogram port’s efficiency and service standards compared to global counterparts, attributing the lag to inadequate coordination among port-related institutions.
These observations were shared during a workshop titled “Streamline Communication between Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and shipping agents,” organized by Feed the Future Trade Activity.
Participants revealed that unloading an import or export container at the Chattogram port takes an average of three days, while it only requires 18 hours at the Singapore port, according to inland container depot operators and shipping agents.
Furthermore, stakeholders emphasized that the Chattogram port is notably deficient in services, managing to clear only about 70 percent of goods within the port, in contrast to other international ports.
They attributed this shortfall to various factors, including the lack of coordination among port-related institutions, hindering the efficient flow of information and processes.
The Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) and the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA) actively participated in the program. Led by Captain Kamrul Islam Mazumder, Director and COO of the Summit Alliance Port Limited, and Mohammed Muntasir Rubayat, Director of BSAA, representatives from these institutions engaged in discussions aimed at transitioning from manual methods to digital communication platforms between shipping lines and Inland Container Depots (ICDs).
The initiative aims to address the communication gap caused by manual processes, which often result in delays and data errors. Participants identified the root causes of communication challenges and proposed solutions, particularly focusing on the development of a software framework to streamline communication processes.
Citing a recent World Bank survey titled “The Container Port Performance Index 2022,” which ranked Bangladesh’s main port at 307th among 348 ports globally, speakers at the workshop highlighted the lack of proper coordination among organizations utilizing the port. They also emphasized that importing and exporting through the Chattogram port is both costly and time-consuming.
According to speakers at the meeting, approximately 17 private depots handle 100 percent of export products and 38 import products in the country. They highlighted a significant challenge where exporters send their containers just 24 hours before loading onto a ship, without prior knowledge of the container’s weight and destination, labeling it as a major issue.
The speakers emphasized that Bangladesh currently exports products worth $52 billion annually, with 90 percent passing through the Chattogram port.
This heavy volume results in approximately 4,000 trucks entering the port daily for goods delivery, leading to congestion and reduced port capacity. Furthermore, the prolonged idle time of containers at the port and private depots exacerbates operational challenges.
To address these issues, speakers stressed the importance of including the vessel’s name when booking products to facilitate efficient delivery to transshipment ports and final destinations.
They highlighted the need to establish a digital platform to eliminate time-consuming manual tasks, thus enhancing efficiency for both shipping lines and Inland Container Depots (ICDs).
Mashuk Al Hossain, acting chief of Party of Feed the Future Bangladesh Trade Activity, expressed the aim of establishing such a digital platform. Other notable speakers at the event included Mohammed Tanvir Imam, Senior Logistics Services Specialist at USAID-Feed the Future Trade Activity, Muntasir Rubayat, Head of Operations at Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Enamul Hoque, Head of Operations at CMA-CGM, and Ajmir Hossain Chowdhury, Head of Operations at GBX Logistics.
