Chattogram Port Authority has launched a booth-based vehicle gate pass issuance system to ease congestion and improve operational efficiency at the country’s main seaport.
The service was officially inaugurated on Friday morning at the port’s overflow yard by Acting Chairman of Chattogram Port and Member (Harbour and Marine), Commodore Ahmed Amin Abdullah.
CPA Senior officials and employees from different departments of the port, along with leaders from the transport sector, were present at the event.
Chattogram Port, a first-class Key Point Installation (KPI), handles nearly 92 percent of the country’s import-export activities and operates under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. To maintain operational efficiency, security, and smooth cargo movement, the port authority has been gradually bringing various services under automation.
As part of this modernization process, an online gate pass issuance system through the Terminal Operating System (TOS) app had already been introduced, allowing vehicle operators to obtain passes after paying the required fees online. However, many drivers and helpers coming from distant areas were facing difficulties using the online system due to technological limitations.
As a result, vehicles often had to stop near the port gates to collect passes, causing severe traffic congestion and disrupting import-export operations.
To address these issues and reduce the suffering of transport workers, the port authority decided to introduce direct gate pass issuance through booths set up in container boxes at five different gates of the port. The initiative has been implemented under the overall supervision of the port’s security department.
Officials believe the new system will make gate pass collection faster and more convenient for drivers while ensuring smoother traffic flow, improved discipline at entry points, and greater operational efficiency at the port.
