Bangladesh awarded contracts to two Japanese companies – Penta-Ocean Construction and TOA Corporation – to build one container terminal and one multipurpose terminal at Matarbari Deep Sea Port in Cox’s Bazar district.
Under the deal, a 460-meter container terminal and a 300-meter multipurpose jetty will be built, allowing 350-meter and 200-meter ships to take berth at the new terminals.
Container vessels with a capacity of 8,200 TEUs and a water draft of 14.5 meters will be able to berth in the terminal jetties.
The construction of the new terminals is expected to be completed in 2029, enabling ways to handle an estimated 600,000 to 1.1 million TEUs. By 2041, once the construction of the entire port is completed, the capacity is expected to reach 2.2 to 2.6 million TEUs.
Additionally, there will be a total of 5,100 ground slots for storing containers in the terminal area.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding the construction of the deep-sea port, which is considered to be a hub for external trade. The cost of the port construction is estimated at around US$2 billion, while the first phase will cost around US$500 million.
The Chittagong port, under its existing arrangement, can accommodate ships with a 10 metre water draft at best, having the highest length up to 200 metres.
Matarbari Deep Sea Port already has a 14.3-kilometer navigational channel, which was constructed to carry coal for a power plant. Now, with the construction of the new terminals, the channel will be used for container and bulk cargo-laden vessels.
Bangladeshi shipping ministry adviser Brigadier General (rtd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain said the Matarbari Deep Sea Port will open a new horizon for international trade. “It is not just an infrastructure project, but a strategic investment for the future of Bangladesh,” he pointed out.
He added that the opening of Matarbari port will increase the capacity of docking large ships, up to about 100,000 DWT, lessen congestion at existing ports, make the supply chain more dynamic, and ensure direct access to the new industrial zone of Cox’s Bazar-Moheshkhali.
Sharar Nayel
Asia Correspondent
