Matarbari Sea Port to be a game changer: CPA Chairman

Matarbari Sea Port to be a game changer: CPA Chairman

Expecting Matarbari Deep Sea Port to go for operation by 2029, Chattogran Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman said the port will be a game changer for the countrys economy. “CPA is working tirelessly to transform Matarbari Port into a regional transshipment hub. CPA signed an agreement with Japanese companies Pentaocean Construction and Towa Corporation on April 22 for the construction of two jetties under Package-1 of the deep sea port project,” he said. The port chairman said the 2nd revised DPP for this fast-track project with the assistance of JICA was approved by the ECNEC on October 7, 2024. SM Moniruzzaman said this at a press conference organized on the occasion of the 138th Port Day at the Shaheed Munshi Fazlur Rahman Munshi Auditorium of Chattogram Port this afternoon. The port chairman said Chattogram to Coxs Bazar area has vast potentials to become as like as Singapore. “Investors are ready and huge opportunities await our prospective young generation. However, they want to be assured about maritime and port security,” he added. Mentioning Chattogram Port as the main driving force of the countrys economic growth he said it is a very important institution for the country. “The doors of possibilities have been opened due to trade agreements with various countries. New investments are coming especially in the Business Summit. For this, the capacity of the port needs to be increased,” he added. The Port Chairman said a delegation from the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Singapore visited the Matarbari-Moheshkhali area recently. They examined the investment potentials in various sectors including maritime infrastructure, security, environmental conservation, and shipyard construction. “In addition, a proposal to build a free trade zone around Matarbari came up for discussion at the Bangladesh Investment Summit recently held in Dhaka. Proposal came in the summit to build a new port similar to Jebel Ali Port in UAE with the technical assistance of DP World,” he said. The CPA chairman said, there is no alternative to increasing the ports capacity to survive in the competitive world. After five years, five million TEUs of containers will have to be handled. In view of this, agreements were signed with Japan to build a terminal and bay terminal at Matarbari deep sea port, he said. The port chairman said, initiatives have been taken to build a reefer container yard and cold storage at the port with funding from USAID. SM Moniruzzaman said there has been a significant growth in exports, containers and cargo handling through the port in the first nine months (July-March) of the current fiscal year. He said that about 85 percent of the countrys total export earnings of $37191.32 million has been earned through Chattogram Port. The port has made impressive progress in terms of revenue, which is 10.56 percent more than the previous year, he said. Container handling at the port has increased by 5.01 percent and general cargo handling has increased by 5.16 percent, he said. A total of 3058 ships have been handled in the nine months and the port will purchase two dredgers for maintaining 16-meter draft of the port, he said. “We are trying to make the port user-friendly,” he said. Port members Mohammad Habibur Rahman, Kawsar Rashid, Captain Amin Abdullah and Port Secretary Omar Faruk along with senior officials were present.