The export backlog has continued to worsen in Chattogram.
As of Friday, a total of 13,836 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) of export cargoes remained stockpiled at 19 private inland container depots in Chattogram for shipments. There were 12,223 export cargoes on Thursday.
Usually, the depots have a backlog of around 6,000 TEUs during the normal period.
Such a large backlog will impact the export earnings sector, especially the clothing sector.
Lack of pre-assigned feeder vessels in Chittagong port to link with mother vessels has caused the backlog. Feeder vessels carry goods either up to port of Singapore or Port of Colombo to link with mother vessels.
On the other hand, the depots had a total of 33,696 TEUs empty containers on Friday.
And they had 10,704 TEUs 40-ft empty containers which are needed for stuffing export items, according to the statistics prepared by Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), a group of 19 privately-owned off-docks.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com