The number of import containers at Chattogram port looks to grow bigger with every passing day, making its yard heavily congested.
When things have got this bad, the authorities of the country's prime seaport are making calls for users to take delivery of their containers immediately.
According to officials, both full container load (FCL) and less container load (LCL) containers are creating an obstacle to the day-to-day running of the yard.
The port yard has the capacity to store 34,868 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of FCL containers.
On Tuesday, some 32,700 TEUs of FCL containers were lying idle at the port yard.
Meanwhile, the number of FLC containers reached 34,680 TEUs there on Thursday.
On the other hand, cargoes unstuffed from LCL containers are also stocking freight stations.
The Chattogram port has eight LCL sheds, measuring 40,000 square metres of area, are occupied now.
On Tuesday, some 198 LCL containers were lying in the yard for unstuffing, port website shows.
Last week, the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) wrote to the port users, asking them to take delivery of import containers stuck in the yard.
They said a big number of containers are waiting at different foreign ports to reach Chattogram ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.
The fasting month of Muslims is slated to begin in the first week of next month.
"The delivery of FCL containers is not at per compared to the FCL containers coming to Chattogram port," according to a CPA letter.
"As a result, the number of FCL containers at the port yard is rising," it mentioned.
Unless the containers are taken delivery timely, the CPA said, there might be congestion at the yard.
Chattogram Port Users Forum chairman Mahbubul Alam last week told the FE that they always encourage importers to take delivery of containers immediately after their arrival to free space.
He, however, cited some reasons behind delays in taking delivery of containers.
"Sometimes, documents from abroad reach late. Sometimes, importers have payment-related problems with banks," Mr Alam said.
"Sometimes, fluctuations in prices force importers to keep goods stored at the port," he argued.
The Chattogram port currently handles containers and cargoes much higher than its built-in capacity of 1.7 million TEUs.
In 2018, the port handled some 2.9 million TEUs of containers against 2.56 million TEUs in 2017.
syful-islam@outlook.com