Bangladesh's external trade suffered a setback over the past five days due to a major technical glitch in the automated management system (ASYCUDA) of the country's largest customs house.
Users of the Chattogram seaport told the FE on Sunday that clearing of goods from the port suffered most while many ships could not unload the imported goods.
Shipping executives said the mainline operators were severely affected on Sunday as they had no access to perform 'manifest'.
Mount Kelett, a vessel with deadweight tonnes of 23,367 and container capacity of 1,730 TEUs, had to overstay by one day at the port due to the technical problem.
The vessel, owned by French shipping giant CMA-CGM, did not leave the port until Sunday and its status on the day was showing 'moored', according to marinetraffic.com, a globally-reputed marine vessel-tracking organisation.
X Press Lhotse, another vessel owned by Singapore-based Seaocon, was also a sufferer. It berthed on March 10, but could not start unloading until Sunday.
There are more such vessels facing similar difficulties, according to executives of some foreign shipping lines.
Akter Hossain, president at the Chittagong Customs Clearing Agents Association (CCCAA), said they were facing severe problems following the technical glitch.
"In real terms, the customs clearing remained almost halted for the past five days," Mr. Hossain told the FE over phone.
He said that the delivery of goods from the port remained halted for the period, disrupting supply of consumer goods and industrial raw materials.
However, the Chittagong Customs House on Sunday evening told the FE that the problem was solved after 7:00 pm on Sunday.
"The ASYCUDA is now fully functional and it is working smoothly," said Saifuddin Babul, assistant programmer at the Chattogram Customs House.
The ASYCUDA, developed by the UNCTAD, is a computerised customs management system that covers most foreign trade procedures.
It handles and manifests customs declarations, accounting procedures, transits and suspense procedures. It also generates trade data that can be used for statistical economic analysis.
Meanwhile, Syed Mohammed Arif, chairman at the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, the representative organisation of foreign ships in Bangladesh, told the FE: "At least 10 vessels suffered following the technical glitches. Such vessels have at least 10,000 containers."
He said the situation was created at a time when the chartering cost in the global shipping market remained at its peak.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com