The country's largest seaport in Chittagong is procuring sophisticated equipment to enhance its capacity.
In the latest development, as of Sunday, two key gantry cranes and three rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes have reached the port.
Another consignment carrying a similar number of gantry crane and RTG crane may come in June next.
It will procure a total of 104 such equipments up to June, 2023.
Shipping officials told the FE that such equipment may raise capacity of the port but there will be no major improvement in its efficiency.
Mr Aminul Islam, chief engineer of the port, told the FE: "After installation of the equipment, ship's stay time in the port will reduce by 24 hours to 48 hours."
He said the authorities are procuring the equipment mostly from Europe, adding: "There are some equipments made in China".
He also said the new ship-to-shore gantry cranes have enhanced capacity than the earlier ones.
Such cranes are used to load and unload containers from ships.
There are two types of container vessels; one has their own cranes to load unload containers while others do not have such facility.
Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) first installed such equipment at the CCT (Chittagong Container Terminal) in the port in 2005 amid protests from labourers.
He said the new gantry cranes will be installed at the New Mooring Container, the biggest terminal of Bangladesh. Currently there are 14 gantry cranes in the terminal.
However, the port official said they had a plan to procure all l04 equipment at a cost of Tk. 9.14 billion by this June (2022), adding: "We are now extending the time up to June next".
In the meantime, Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) procures the equipment but these are used by the private operators as the latter handle the containers in the port.
On the other hand, shipping officials told the FE such equipment will enhance its capacity while the productivity will remain the same.
Productivity means per hour container handling by a gantry crane or a RTG.
"How the ships' stay time will be reduced when the port has no adequate backups", said country head of the feeder operator wishing anonymity.
He said raising capacity of backups simultaneously is required to speed up container handling in the port.
