New Mooring Terminal
Maritime Council favours private sector operation
Unb, Ctg
A meeting of Maritime Council yesterday decided in principle that the management and operation of the under-construction New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) would be handed over to a private operator through a tender.The council also decided to place a final proposal at its next meeting. City Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, who is also a member of the council, boycotted all the meetings so far, raising questions over the legality of formation of such a council. Most of the business delegates, who attended the meeting, pressed for privatising the NCT but some of them felt that any decision on the issue should be taken after agreement with Mayor Mohiuddin. The meeting, chaired by Council President and Shipping Minister Col (retd) Akbar Hossain, also formed a five-member committee to finalise Maritime Council Policy and terms of reference after Mohiuddin questioned the legality of formation of the council. The convenor of Chittagong Feeder Trade Committee (CFTC), Singapore-based Feeder Ship Owners Organisation, informed the meeting that the decision to impose US$130 surcharge per day against each container (20 feet) due to ship congestion would come into effect on Monday.
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