Chattogram Bureau :
Currently, the capacity of frozen
containers (refrigerated facilities) inside Chattogram Port is 2,620 TEUs, but there are only 670
containers, which is only 25.57 per cent of the capacity. That is, about
75 per cent of the capacity is vacant. Besides, the Port Authority has handed over 114 TEUs of unclaimed auctionable containers to Customs mainly due to dollar crisis in recent countries, unable to open letter of credit (LC) for imported goods. As a result, Chattogram Port-centric ship arrivals have decreased and some jetties of the port are almost empty. Due to these reasons, the import of frozen products has decreased to a large extent, and the frozen containers have also decreased. Even for the upcoming Ramzan, there is a shortage of frozen containers at the port due to inability to open letters of credit for import of dates and fruits.
In this context, the Port Secretary Omar Farooq said that the capacity of Chattogram Port has increased more than before. The port’s overall capacity has increased by increasing the container storage space, including the overflow yard. Hence the capacity of the dry container as well as the reefer container has also increased. At present, Chattogram Port currently has a storage capacity of 2,620 TEUs of frozen containers. But there are 670 containers. In addition, 114 TEUs of unclaimed auctionable containers were handed over to Customs.