Berth, terminal and ship-handling operators at Chattogram Port will now have to win competitive tenders to be appointed, under new rules that also open the door to international terminal operators, The Business Standard reported on 9 November 2026.
The Chittagong Port Authority (Appointment of Berth, Terminal and Ship Handling Operators) Rules, 2026 were gazetted on 5 November. CPA Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim told TBS that the rules implement a provision of the Chittagong Port Authority Act, 2022, which requires operators to work under specific rules.
What the rules say
- Tenders mandatory: Operators will be chosen through competitive tendering, assessed on qualifications and operational capacity. Tenders follow government procurement rules and may run on the e-GP system; offline tendering needs prior approval from the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority.
- Five-year term: Successful bidders can be appointed for up to five years. Extensions need prior government approval.
- Foreign operators: International terminal operators can take part, subject to government approval and applicable laws.
- Joint bids: The government may relax some prequalification requirements for new entrants, and several companies may bid jointly if together they meet the conditions.
- Enforcement: The port authority can suspend or cancel an operator’s enlistment or licence for acting against the interests or security of the government or the port. No one may operate inside the port without a CPA appointment.
Duties and liability
Berth operators handle cargo at designated berths, manage container stuffing and unstuffing, and prepare ship, yard and crane plans. Ship-handling operators supply workers and equipment for loading and unloading at mooring points and specialised jetties. Operators must follow labour law, pay wages and legal benefits, provide protective equipment, renew heavy equipment certificates every six months and light equipment certificates every three months, and are liable for cargo lost or damaged during handling. A five-member Ship Allocation Committee, convened by the CPA’s deputy traffic manager (operations), will distribute work among ship-handling operators.
Industry wants experience to count
Fazle Ekram Chowdhury, president of the Bangladesh Berth Operators Association, said experience and efficiency should carry more weight in selection, warning that weak operators could affect specialised port operations and the wider economy. Sarwar Hossain Sagor, president of the Bangladesh Ship Handling and Berth Operators Association, said the rules contain important provisions but do not adequately address efficiency and experience.
The rules come as the port authority has signed agreements involving foreign operators for the Patenga, Laldia and New Mooring terminals, with Dubai-based DP World set to operate the New Mooring Container Terminal.
Source: The Business Standard, 9 November 2026. Photo: file image of a container yard at Chittagong Port.
