CHATTOGRAM: The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has procured two new tugboats to facilitate larger ships' smooth movement in the port channel and enhance the port's cargo handling capacity.
Procured from China at a cost of over Tk 1.45 billion (Tk 145,22,56,000) the two 5,000 bhp/70-tonne bollard pull tugboats reached the service jetty of the port on Thursday.
The CPA named the new tugboats 'Kandari 3' and 'Kandari 4'.
Earlier, the two vessels arrived at Chittagong Port's Outer Anchorage from Hong Kong's Cheoy Lee Shipyards on June 15.
Contacted, CPA Secretary Omar Faruk confirmed arrival of the two highpowered tugboats with each having 5,000 BHP and 70 MT Pull capacities. He said the two vessels will enhance the port's capacity of loading and unloading from comparatively large ships. They will also facilitate berthing and departure from the port by larger container vessels.
CPA Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan and Tarafdar Md Ruhul Amin, Chairman of e-Engineering Limited - the local agent of Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd - signed an agreement on March 14 at the conference room of Chittagong Port on behalf of their respective sides for buying the two tugboats.
Following the agreement, the Hong Kong-based company supplied the two tugboats. With addition of the two, the number of tugboats in the CPA's fleet has been increased to 10 now.
