Import cargo piles up at Chtg

Chittagong: Delivery of import cargoes from Chittagong port is continuing to fall leading to increase in the turnaround time of ships at the port.

Port and shipping circles said the duration of stay time of feeder vessels at the port now stood at around six days on an average due to space crisis experienced at the port yards over the past few days.

Port officials said the release of import goods was sluggish Monday as the customs house remained closed due to public holiday on the occasion of Christmas.

However, the container congestion at different port yards is taking a serious turn following less delivery of import cargoes from port yards during the past few days, port officials said.

Port sources said that the import cargoes in 600 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers were delivered Monday. The port delivered 602 TEUs cargoes on the previous day.

But, the rate of out-bound cargo was normal on the day as shipment of 1771 TEUs containers was carried out during the last 24 hours starting Sunday at 10 am until Monday 10am.

A total of 18,767 TEUs container remained stockpiled at different port yards on the day.

Loading and unloading of 12 container vessels were continuing at different jetties Monday. Of them, two feeder vessels were loading export cargoes while the remaining seven ships were discharging import cargoes. These include two gearless feeder vessels at the Chittagong Container Terminal (CCCT).

A total of 10 feeder vessels are waiting at the outer anchorage on the day.

Some 100 TEUs of import cargoes containing Bangladesh Railway wagons left the Chittagong port for Dhaka Inland Container Depot (ICD) Sunday.

In the meantime, four bulk carriers were discharging cargoes at different jetties on the day. The cargoes include sugar, steel billet, rice and wheat.

Some three tankers were discharging import items at different mooring points under the Chittagong port. The cargoes include crude soybean oil, high speed diesel and crude palm oil.

A total of 17 bulk carriers were continuing to discharge cargoes on to the lighterage vessels at the outer anchorage Monday. The main cargoes include wheat and fertiliser.