CHATTOGRAM: Construction work of Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is going on smoothly with the target to start its operation in the current year.
Around 84 per cent of the total construction work of the PCT has already been completed and the officials concerned hope for starting its operation in July next.
Progress in work of the terminal was held back by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.
The project work will end before July and full operation of the PCT is expected to start by then.
Though the PCT was scheduled to on into operation in February this year, the delay in completion of construction work has deferred its opening to July next, officials of CPA said.
Omar Faruk, secretary of the CPA, said, "Construction work of the container terminal is going on in full swing. More than 84 per cent work of the PCT has already been completed so far. We hope that the rest work will be completed within next four to five months in the current year and we can operate the PCT in July next."
He added, "There will also be a specialised dolphin oil jetty in the terminal for unloading oil; apart from back yards, road and rail links and other facilities. Construction work of the jetty has been completed. The engineering corps of the Bangladesh Army has been appointed to execute the project."
He said further, after completion of the terminal work, by using own fund of the CPA, three container ships, each 190 metres in length and 10.5 metres in width, can berth at a time at the PCT.
The new jetty of the PCT will be 600 metres long. Besides, 220 meters long oil carrier ships can be berthed at the dolphin jetty of the terminal.
Project Director (PD) of PCT Mijanur Rahman Sarkar said, "Work of the PCT is continuing in full swing now and the civil work of the terminal is being implemented under the supervision of the engineering corps of Bangladesh Army."
Sources said the PCT will be designed with modern handling equipment like Key Gantry Cranes (KGC) and Rubber Gantry Cranes (RGC). Vessels may be berthed in the PCT within short possible time because of the terminal being very near to the estuary of the Karnaphuli River. The PCT is situated over 32 acres of land with three berths of total 600 meters length and three vessels of more than 9.5 metres draft will be able to take berth at a time in the terminal.
The CPA received formal administrative approval for constructing a new container terminal in Patenga of Chittagong in July 2017 as on June 13 the same year the Ministry of Shipping gave the administrative approval of the project.
The cost for the PCT was estimated at Tk1,868 crore. The money will be spent from the own-found of the CPA.
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