“The project is designed to ease mounting pressure on Chittagong Port and meet the growing demands of Bangladesh’s export-import trade. Officials expect the deep seaport to reduce container transportation time by 50% and freight costs by 25%, significantly enhancing trade competitiveness. Jointly financed by the Bangladesh government, the CPA, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project has an estimated total cost of Tk24,381.40 crore [~$2BN]…”
“Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Chairman Captain Salauddin Chowdhry said the Matarbari Deep Seaport would redefine the country’s international trade landscape, strengthening global competitiveness and reducing import costs, ultimately benefiting consumers. Construction under Package-1 includes a 460-metre container jetty, a 300-metre multipurpose jetty, 5,100 container ground slots, a terminal building, pavement, retaining walls, a seawall, boundary wall, land development, dredging, land reclamation, an emergency generator, solar panels, and terminal utilities. The jetties will accommodate vessels with a draft of up to 14.50 metres and a length of 300 metres, capable of carrying 8,200 TEU containers.”
“As part of supporting infrastructure, the Roads and Highways Division will develop a 27.7-kilometre roadway linking the port to the national highway at an estimated cost of Tk12,942.37 crore. By 2029, the port is expected to handle between 0.6 and 1.1 million TEUs annually, with capacity projected to reach 2.2 to 2.6 million TEUs by 2041. In comparison, Chittagong Port currently handles around 3.4 million TEUs annually but cannot accommodate vessels with a draft exceeding 10 metres and a length of 190 metres.”