DP World to Operate Chattogram Port’s NCT for 15 Years

UAE-based port operator DP World will operate the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram Port for 15 years under an agreement signed with the port authority on Thursday.

The agreement was signed at 3:40pm Bangladesh time. Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman and DP World Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.

The process of appointing DP World to operate the NCT began during the previous Awami League government under a public-private partnership and government-to-government framework. During the interim government, the process reached the negotiation stage but was suspended in February following labour protests and objections from members of the negotiating committee.

Negotiations resumed after the new government took office. In June, the Ministry of Shipping instructed the authorities to continue negotiations with DP World.

The NCT is the largest of the four main terminals at Chattogram Port used for loading and unloading containers from ships. In the last fiscal year, the terminal handled around 1.385 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), accounting for about 44% of the port’s total container traffic.

The NCT is currently operated by Chittagong Dry Dock Limited, a state-owned company run by the Bangladesh Navy. The company will continue to operate the terminal until it is formally handed over to the foreign operator.

Of the port’s other three terminals, the General Cargo Berth (GCB) and Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) are operated by local companies. The Patenga Container Terminal is operated by Saudi Arabia-based Red Sea Gateway Terminal International (RSGTI).