The contract with Saif Powertec to operate NCT terminal is not increasing. This time, the Chittagong Port Authority is coming to operate the New-mooring Container Terminal (NCT) after 17 years.
The NCT terminal will be operated by Chittagong Port for the time being, not by a domestic or foreign company.
That is why it has sought approval from the government for a monthly operating cost of 7 crore taka and operating for six months, a decision will be made to appoint a private operator through open tender.
NCT is the first and largest terminal built at Chittagong Port, which has key gantry cranes and other sophisticated equipment for container handling. Of the 32 lakh TEUs containers handled at Chittagong Port in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 44 percent was handled solely through the NCT terminal.
Port authority will operate NCT for the next six months. Later, a decision will be taken on the appointment of a private operator through an open tender. The contract with private operator Saif Powertec is not being extended.
Saif Powertec's term as the operator of this terminal is ending on July 6. Therefore, the port authority has decided to operate the container handling activities at this terminal under its own management from July 7.
Officials said that additional money will be required to operate the port's NCT terminal. The ministry's approval is required to spend this money.
To obtain this permission, the port chairman, Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman, wrote a letter to the senior secretary of the shipping ministry on June 19. In it, a budget approval of approximately Tk 42 crore was requested for operating the NCT.
To spend this amount of government money, the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs is required as per the Public Procurement Act 2006. In addition to not extending the contract with Saif Powertech, the port authority decided to take necessary steps to operate the terminal under its own management.
This letter states that the operating expenses of the Chittagong Port Authority's NCT Terminal, including the key gantry crane, rubber-tied gantry crane and other equipment and IT management will cost approximately Tk 42 crore in 6 months at the rate of Tk 7 crore per month.
According to the prevailing rules, the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs is mandatory for the approval of this expense. The port authority has written to the Senior Secretary of the Shipping Ministry to take the initiative for this approval.
The letter states that the term of the private operator will end on July 6, so it is important to keep the terminal operation running in the interest of maintaining the normal import-export process of the port.
According to sources, there are a total of 4 container terminals in Chittagong Port. Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT), New-mooring Container Terminal NCT, General Cargo Berth (Container and Bulk) and Patenga Container Terminal (PCT).
Nasir Uddin, Chief Personnel Officer and Spokesperson of Chittagong Port, said that after the decision was made in the ministry, a letter has been sent for permission to run the terminal.
The final work will begin after receiving financial permission from the ministry. Initially, the officials of the mechanical and traffic departments of the port have started taking over the work from Saif Powertec.
