Three of Chattogram port’s four container terminals are now run, or set to be run, by foreign operators. Attention has turned to the fourth, the Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT).
Who runs what
- Patenga Container Terminal: Saudi-based Red Sea Gateway Terminal International, operating since 2023
- Laldia Container Terminal: Denmark’s APM Terminals, a greenfield project awarded in 2025
- New Mooring Container Terminal: UAE-based DP World, concession signed in October 2026
- Chittagong Container Terminal: local firm Saif Powertec since 2006, with its contract ending soon
What happens to CCT
According to The Daily Star, the shipping ministry has asked Invest Bangladesh to begin the process of appointing Red Sea Gateway for CCT. The Chittagong Port Authority is reviewing the proposal, and the ministry says no final decision has been made. Bangladeshi group MGH and DP World had earlier shown interest in the terminal.
A divided debate
Chattogram handles about 92 percent of Bangladesh’s trade. Critics warn of weaker state control, lost revenue, job losses and security risks, and some urge watching the performance of the new operators first. Supporters say global operators bring efficiency, but stress that hinterland connectivity and customs reform matter just as much. Others favour open tendering over direct government-to-government appointments.
Source: The Daily Star.
Photo: Motiur Rahman Oni / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
