The Chattogram Port continues to face significant operational challenges, with yard occupancy exceeding 80 percent and severe berth congestion persisting. Despite the Chittagong Port Authority’s (CPA) ongoing “empty force shipment” program, which moved 9,832 empty containers from the yard last week, congestion remains particularly acute between 1:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. daily. The suspension of dedicated Full Container Load (FCL) delivery points at GCB, NCT, and CCT has further contributed to the backlog, while recent heavy rainfall has worsened the situation by causing waterlogging and traffic jams on port access roads, hampering vessel loading operations.
Operationally, delivery volumes remain high, with 27,895 containers cleared from the yard last week. However, geared vessels are experiencing an average waiting time of one to three days, while gearless vessels are facing delays of seven to eight days. Berthing delays at CCT and NCT remain severe, and the overall space crisis has intensified due to reduced vessel frequency. The CPA has also warned of imposing four times the usual storage rent if empty containers are not removed promptly, as empty stock in the port yard remains excessive.
Further compounding the challenges, Inland Container Depot (ICD) congestion in Dhaka has reached a critical point, with yard occupancy exceeding 100 percent and container waiting times stretching up to 20 days due to locomotive and wagon shortages. To ease the pressure, Customs and CPA have advised importers to take deliveries directly from the port or PICT. Off-docks are also struggling with space shortages, leading to frequent missed shipment deadlines.
Adding to the complexity, CDDL has introduced a 15 percent VAT on Hook Bills for vessel operations at CCT and NCT, while the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) has declared a 40 percent tariff hike effective from September 1, 2025. The recent forced departure of the vessel Fitz Roy V-0281E on August 3, which left behind 435 containers due to off-dock failures in weight-sequence loading, highlighted the gravity of the situation. CPA did not permit an extension of the vessel’s port stay, resulting in significant left-behind cargo.
As of August 7, a total of 15 vessels were waiting at anchorage—comprising one geared deep-draft vessel, two geared vessels, and twelve gearless vessels—while 11 berths were fully occupied. Foreign-flagged vessels continue to follow a first-come, first-served berthing policy, whereas two berths remain specifically reserved for Bangladesh-flagged vessels. Despite slight improvements for geared ships, overall congestion at Chattogram Port remains critical, and stakeholders are advised to closely monitor vessel schedules and off-dock container supply to minimize disruptions.
