Container congestion eases slightly

Container congestion at Chattogram port eased slightly yesterday as a noticeable number of containers could be transferred to private inland container depots (ICDs).

The number of total containers lying in different port yards came down to 41,620 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) as of 8am yesterday, down from 42,150 TEUs a day ago.

Around 1,110 TEUs of containers could be transported to different ICDs in the 24 hours to 8am yesterday, said Md Omar Faruk, secretary of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).

Moreover, 65 TEUs of import containers could be delivered from the port yards to consignees yesterday whereas none could be delivered to consignees in the previous two days.

Transport of import and export containers between the port and private ICDs also improved, said officials of ICDs.

However, import containers and cargoes started piling up at the ICDs because of slow release of containers thanks to problems in duty assessment amid internet shutdown and poor vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway.

Very few export cargo from Dhaka and other parts of the country reached the port, as most factories remained closed yesterday, said Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association.