Construction of the Laldia Container Terminal at Chattogram Port began on Sunday, August 30. The project is being built under a public-private partnership with more than $550 million in investment. A groundbreaking event was held at the Laldia site to mark the start.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury joined the event as the chief guest. Road Transport and Bridges, Railways, and Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam was the special guest.
Port sources said the project is one of the biggest such projects in Bangladesh. The terminal will cover 49.15 acres at Laldia Char, near the mouth of the Karnaphuli River.
The main terminal area will cover 32 acres of the site. A further 7.15 acres will be used as a yard for containers. The last 10 acres will be used for truck parking and entry gate work.
The terminal will have a 616-metre-long jetty. It will be able to handle 800,000 TEUs of containers each year. TEU means a standard 20-foot container unit. The work has a three-year time limit.
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Under the deal, Danish firm APM Terminals will run the terminal for 30 years from 2030. The term may be extended by 15 more years if the deal terms are met.
The stated terms would allow up to 45 years of operation. However, the provided project information also says the firm could run it for a maximum of 48 years.
Chattogram MPs Ershad Ullah and Shahjahan Chowdhury were at the event. Shipping Ministry Secretary Zakaria also attended. Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman was present with other senior officials.
The Laldia terminal will add a new container site to Chattogram Port. The Patenga Container Terminal lies beyond Laldia Char, after Gupta Bend. Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Gateway Terminal now runs that terminal.
The New Mooring Container Terminal, Chittagong Container Terminal and General Cargo Berth are farther upstream. They are about seven to nine kilometres from the Laldia site. The new terminal will add to the port’s wider container handling network.
Work will now move ahead under the three-year project plan. APM Terminals is set to start running the terminal in 2030 under the deal.
