Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) of Chittagong port has received commercial ships for the first time under the supervision of Saudi Arabia based company ‘Red Sea Gateway’. Through this, a foreign operator started their operations for the first time in Chittagong port.
On Monday (June 10) at 3 pm, the vessel named MV ‘Mayorx Davao’ owned by the world-renowned shipping company, Marks Line, entered the PCT. The Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) then begins container handling on the vessel.
RAGT held a ceremony on Monday afternoon to mark the operation of the first vessel in the PCT. Chairman of Chittagong Port Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail, Chief Executive Officer of RSGT Bangladesh Erwin Hayes and other senior officials participated in it.
On the occasion, Port Chairman Real Admiral Mohammad Sohail said that Patenga Container Terminal will be operated by RSGT for the next 22 years. The operation started today. Chittagong Port has made its debut as a ‘Landlord Port’ by handling the first ship of a foreign company in the PCT. Hopefully, in this way we will work with global partners.
He said, new technology is coming here with domestic and foreign investment, more will come. Technically we will benefit from it. Likewise, we will have many employment opportunities. Our people will be skilled by working here. Their demand will increase at home and abroad. Ports operate around the world in the Landlord process. We started that process with PCT.
Chief Executive Officer of RSGT Bangladesh, Eriun Hayes said, “We made our debut today by handling a ship named Maerks Davao at the port. We have got the cooperation of Chittagong Port Authority in the whole process. I hope we will get everyone’s cooperation in future operations.
Patenga Container Terminal was constructed at a cost of Tk 1,230 crore with Chittagong Port’s own funding. The Patenga Container Terminal has been constructed on a 26-acre area between the drydock and the boat club at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal and the Karnaphuli River downstream from the main part of the Chittagong port. The terminal will be able to handle five lakh TEUS (20 feet equivalent) containers annually.
The 584 meter long terminal has three jetties. Two of these can accommodate import-export cargo container ships and the 204-meter-long Dolphin Jetty will allow fuel tankers to enter. Ships with a maximum draft of 9.5 meters enter the Chittagong port. But vessels with 10m draft will have access to Patenga Container Terminal.
AAZ/MIHS
