Own Correspondent: At the jetty of Chittagong Port, the operation of launching big ships is finally starting. After a survey report prepared by a foreign organization, an initiative has been taken to launch a ship with a length of 200 meters and a depth of 10 meters. The concerned said that the trial run will be completed within a week. After the trial run, the process of berthing large ships will begin at the port. This will have a positive impact on the import-export trade of the country and will save crores of rupees in the goods transportation sector.
According to the relevant sources, since January 2015 till now, the jetty of Chittagong port can accommodate ships with a depth of 9.5 meters and a length of 190 meters. Earlier, smaller ships used to come to the port. Congestion of relatively small ships increases the cost of transporting goods. Many ships in the world’s shipping sector cannot fit into port jetties. Those involved in shipping business and import-export trade have long been demanding to increase the length and depth of the port. But the port authority did not suddenly decide to increase the depth without being sure. A decision was taken to conduct a survey through an organization specializing in the matter.
In the light of this decision, a research institute named HR Welling Port of London was given the responsibility of researching the Karnaphuli River and the harbor channel. They researched three issues – the exact depth and length of ships that can be accommodated in the harbor given the current condition of the channel and the jetty, how much space on both sides of the harbor can be used for jetty or yard expansion, and what type of measures should be taken to determine the maximum depth in the harbor. It will be possible to sail ships of completed and length.
The research institute conducted a survey in Chittagong port for more than a year. They submitted their preliminary report last April. Recently they gave the final report. In the report, the organization presents detailed data on port channels, Karnaphuli River and ports. It is said that ships with a depth of 10 meters and a length of 200 meters can be docked at the Chittagong port using the existing infrastructure. However, dredging at two points of the river by doing some work on the bend near the outer anchorage and Guptakhal, a ship with a length of 225 meters and a depth of 11 meters can be placed in the port channel.
Chittagong Port Authority Chief Hydrographer Commander M Arifur Rahman told the media that in view of the report given by the research institute, it will be possible to dock large ships i.e. ships with a length of 200 meters and a depth of 10 meters in the jetty of the port. It has already been approved in the board meeting. Hopefully we can do a trial run in a week or so. After the trial run, necessary steps will be taken to launch large ships. We are asking foreign shipping companies to send large vessels. I will give berthing when big ships come.
He said, if large ships gather at the jetty of the port, it will have a positive impact on the country’s import-export trade. Besides, billions of dollars will be saved in the transportation sector.
Port officials said that currently a container ship with a length of 190 meters and a depth of 9 and a half meters can transport a maximum of 1600 to 1700 TEUS containers at Chittagong port. A vessel 200 meters long and 10 meters deep will be able to transport 2700-2800 TEUS containers. The concerned officials commented that it will have a positive impact on container transportation.
Secretary of Chittagong Port Authority Mohammad Omar Farooq said that if it is possible to dock a ship with a length of 200 meters and a depth of 10 meters at the jetty of Chittagong port, a lot more containers will be transported at almost the same cost. This will not only have a positive impact on the port’s container transportation and handling, but will also save billions of dollars financially.
However, a port source said that not all of the port’s 18 jetties will have the same depth. Newmooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) will be given 10m depth. In addition, some of the General Cargo Berths (GCBs) can be extended in depth. It will be possible to increase the depth to 10 meters in jetty number 9 to 13 of GCB of the port. Jetty No. 2 to 8 currently accommodates vessels with a depth of eight and a half meters. Even if the depth can be increased there, it will not be possible to make it 10 meters.
