The Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) in Chittagong marked a major operational milestone on Wednesday as it welcomed its first direct import container ship, more than a year after its inauguration in April 2024.
The Singapore-registered MV Maersk Chittagong, operated by global shipping leader Maersk Line, docked at Patenga Container Terminal-1 around 2:00 pm. The vessel arrived from Malaysia’s Port Klang with 1,712 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of imported goods and is set to depart on July 3 carrying 1,600 TEUs of export cargo.
According to Chittagong Port Secretary Md Omar Faruk, the delay in handling direct import vessels at PCT was due to delays in obtaining regulatory approvals, preparing customs procedures, and completing necessary system integrations. The terminal, constructed over 32 acres with an investment of Tk 1,230 crore from the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), is equipped with three container jetties and one dolphin oil jetty. It can accommodate three container ships and one oil tanker simultaneously, with an annual handling capacity of 450,000 TEUs, aimed at relieving pressure from the port’s other terminals.
“This is the first vessel to complete both import and export operations directly through the terminal,” said Faridul Alam, deputy conservator of Chittagong Port. “It signals the beginning of full-fledged cargo operations at PCT, the first terminal under CPA to be managed by a foreign operator.”
The CPA officially handed over terminal operations to Red Sea Gateway Terminal International (RSGTI) in December 2023 through a 22-year concession agreement. Under this deal, the CPA receives $18 per TEU in handling charges.
Before this achievement, PCT handled two trial shipments: 16 TEUs from MV Maersk Vladivostok on February 16, and 208 TEUs from MV Maersk Jianmen on March 9. In both cases, the vessels initially docked at other terminals before partially unloading at PCT. However, the arrival of MV Maersk Chittagong marked the first time a ship was fully assigned to PCT as its primary destination for both berthing and cargo operations.
RSGTI has confirmed that all customs and logistical systems at the terminal are now fully functional. Saidul Islam, deputy commissioner of Chittagong Customs House, stated that customs personnel and a container scanner have been deployed at the terminal. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) officially designated the area as a warehousing zone on April 17, 2024. The terminal has secured 25 different regulatory approvals, including from the departments of explosives, fire services, and environmental safety. Furthermore, the integration of online systems between customs and the port’s delivery platform has been completed.
A Maersk Line official, speaking anonymously, noted that this was the first dedicated vessel to berth at PCT under Maersk’s operations. Future ship calls will depend on the terminal’s operational efficiency and performance.
Current container handling tariffs at PCT are Tk 13,605 for a 20-foot import container and Tk 16,567 for a 40-foot import container. For exports, the rates are Tk 7,187 for a 20-foot container and Tk 10,250 for a 40-foot container. Empty container handling fees stand at Tk 2,705 and Tk 5,410, respectively.
Since its soft launch in mid-2024, PCT has handled approximately 45 vessels, mainly operated by Maersk Line and Pacific International Lines, primarily managing export and empty containers, with an average of five ship calls per month.
The initiation of full-scale operations at PCT represents a major advancement in the modernization of Chittagong’s port infrastructure, which is expected to significantly ease congestion at the city’s other terminals and enhance the efficiency of cargo handling.
