The government has undertaken a series of short and long-term measures to reduce logistics costs and speed up cargo clearance as Bangladesh prepares to operate a deep-sea port capable of handling large mother vessels, Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told Parliament on Monday.

Replying to a scripted question from opposition lawmaker Md Nurul Islam (Chapainawabganj-3) in the Jatiya Sangsad, the minister said Bangladesh's seaports currently have limited draft, forcing most import and export cargo to be transshipped through regional hubs such as Singapore, Colombo and Port Klang in Malaysia before reaching the country on feeder vessels. This, he said, increases both costs and transit time.

“The present depth of the Karnaphuli Channel ranges from 8.5 to 10 metres. It is a naturally formed channel, and this depth is maintained through capital and maintenance dredging,” he said.

He said Chattogram Port can currently accommodate vessels with a maximum draft of 10 metres and an average capacity of around 3,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). As the port is tidal, however, vessel berthing and departures remain dependent on tidal conditions.

To address these challenges, the government has launched several initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs in import and export operations.

“We have taken initiatives to introduce direct shipping services between Chattogram Port and Europe, the Americas and various Middle Eastern countries,” the minister said.

He told the House that around 80 per cent of container unloading and delivery operations had already been digitalised, while work was underway to digitise the remaining 20 per cent.

The Patenga Container Terminal, built with Chattogram Port's own funding, is now being operated by Saudi Arabia-based Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) under a government-to-government agreement, he added.

Rabiul said construction of the Matarbari Deep Sea Port and the Bay Terminal was progressing, and once completed, both facilities would be able to accommodate vessels with drafts of 12 to 14 metres, significantly reducing waiting times by allowing ships to berth directly.

The government is also seeking to ease port congestion by routing all import containers through private inland container depots (ICDs), or off-docks, and auctioning more than 10,000 TEUs of uncleared containers currently stored at Chattogram Port through the customs authorities.

In addition, a pre-arrival customs clearance system is being introduced in coordination with the National Board of Revenue (NBR), enabling imported goods to be cleared before vessels arrive at the port.

“The measures being implemented sequentially to enhance port productivity will make it possible to clear cargo within a shorter time and at lower cost,” the minister said.

Highlighting the significance of the Matarbari Deep Sea Port, Rabiul said the facility under construction in Cox’s Bazar would have a navigational channel with a depth of around 16 metres and a modern container terminal.

The port is expected to become operational by 2029 and will be capable of receiving container vessels carrying about 8,200 TEUs or cargo ships of up to 100,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT) directly—nearly four times the carrying capacity of vessels currently calling at Chattogram Port.

According to the minister, the deep-sea port will significantly reduce Bangladesh's reliance on transshipment hubs such as Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang, lowering both transit time and logistics costs.

“The Matarbari Deep Sea Port will open a new horizon for Bangladesh’s import-export trade. Faster, more efficient and cost-effective cargo handling will reduce logistics costs, strengthen the competitiveness of the country’s external trade and establish Bangladesh as an important regional maritime trade hub,” he said.