The Patenga Container Terminal will start its operation in January next following the appointment of an operator by the shipping ministry, which is reportedly carrying out consultation with a Saudi Arabian company in this regard.
The Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) is among five companies that participated in the bid to operate the new terminal of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) and it may be picked by the ministry, sources said.
The CPA appointed the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as Transaction Advisor (TA) for working out the terms and conditions for the appointment of an operator for the newly-constructed terminal.
"The PPP Authority is dealing with the matter of appointment. As we know, the ministry will take the final decision in this regard. After getting the report from the IFC, a final decision on the appointment of an operator will be taken," said Omar Faruk, secretary of the CPA.
Officials said a total of five terminal operators took part in the bid showing their interest in operating the terminal. They are A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk), Adani Port and Special Economic Zone Ltd., Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), Dubai Port World (DP World) and PSA International.
An official at the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority who is involved with the process of appointing an operator, said among the five, the ministry is consulting with the RSGT and considering proposals of the Saudi company now.
Started in 2017, construction work of the PCT was completed in July this year. The terminal was also scheduled to flag off its maiden operation in July but the decision was delayed as no operator was picked by the authority by that time.
Talking with the FE, Jafar Alam, member of the CPA said, the PCT is now physically ready to go into operation but the appointment of an operation is needed before kicking off the operational activities. "I hope that formal operation will be started in the first month of next year," he added.
Contacted, CPA chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan also said that the terminal is ready for operation right now. He said it will handle bulk carriers on the first day of operation and geared container vessels thereafter on priority basis. Cost of constructing the PCT on a 32 acres of land was estimated to be Tk 18.68 billion which was provided by the CPA from its own fund.
Three container ships with each 190 metres long and having 9.5 metres draft can take berth simultaneously at the PCT terminal which is 600 metres in length. At the same time, a 290-metre long oil tanker can berth at the Dolphin Jetty of the PCT, CPA officials said.
