For the first time in the country, the journey to the Patenga container terminal of Chittagong Port has started through a foreign operator. This journey of Chittagong port’s new route started yesterday afternoon with the start of handling activities of a container ship named ‘MV Maersk Davao’ bearing the flag of Singapore. Red Sea Gateway Terminal Bangladesh Limited, owned by the royal family of Saudi Arabia, will operate the PCT for the next 22 years, with Chittagong Port Authority as a share in the agreement. This terminal can handle about 5 lakh TEUS containers annually
On the first day berthing MV Maersk Davao will ship only containers loaded with export products. Some empty (MT) containers will also be taken. As no gantry cranes have been installed, container handling will be done by ship cranes for the next few months. Despite permission from the Chittagong Port Authority and Customs, no container carrying imported goods was unloaded yesterday. Sources said the import container has not been unloaded from the ship for now due to some technical constraints. No one could say with certainty when the entire process, including the release of import containers, could be started.
It may take until tonight to ship the 1400 TEUS containers. The vessel will leave PCT today if the tide in the Karnaphuli River is high after the container is loaded. Or wait for tomorrow morning’s tide.

MV Maersk Davao, owned by Danish-based world’s second largest shipping company Maersk Line, first arrived at the port’s GCB-9 jetty last June 9. Import containers were unloaded there and rushed to PCT on June 10. Here, the vessel will sail to Port Kelang carrying 1400 TEUS containers of loaded and empty containers of export products.

The vessel operating on Maerks Line’s Intra Asia-7 route will start its journey with goods from Shantou Port in China and will proceed to Nansha, Yangtian, Hong Kong, Malaysia’s Tanjum Pellipas, Port Kelang, Chittagong Port via Yangon and then Port Kelang. It is also hoped that this service will create a new speed in the transportation of Chittagong Port with China, the famous factory of the world.
Chittagong Port Authority and Red Sea Gateway Terminal Chittagong jointly organized a program on the occasion of ship launching at PCT yesterday afternoon at PCT premises. Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Real Admiral Mohammad Sohail and Red Sea Gateway Terminal International (RSGTI) Chief Executive Officer Erwin Hayes were present.

Chairman of the port authority said that the port is managed in the landlord process all over the world. We witnessed history by starting that process with PCT. This moment is particularly memorable for Chittagong Port and Bangladesh. Hopefully, we will work with foreign big partners in this way. So that overall the size of the economy of Bangladesh will increase many times. We will have many employment opportunities. New technology is coming here. More will come. Technologically we will benefit. Our people will be skilled by working here.
Red Sea Gateway Terminals International (RSGTI) Chief Executive Officer Erwin Hayes said, “We are proud to welcome Captain Myo Min Thanh and Maersk Davao to RSGT–Chittagong and celebrate the important milestone of the first official vessel arrival under this new concession agreement. We want to contribute to increasing the role of Chittagong Port in the economy of Bangladesh and in the global logistics chain. We express our thanks and sincere gratitude to Bangladesh Government, Port Authority, NBR, Customs and our long time business partner Maiers. They have given us the opportunity to provide world-class services to the Bangladeshi shipping community and the global port industry.
Note that the foundation stone of the PCT construction project was laid on September 8, 2017. Construction began in February 2018. The port authority constructed the PCT at a cost of about Tk 1,230 crore from its own funds. According to the design of Bangladesh University of Engineering, the construction work is done by E-Engineering Limited, a subsidiary of Saif Powertech, under the supervision of 34 Engineer Construction Brigade of the Army.

Although the construction work was completed in the middle of 2022, this terminal was not opened due to various reasons. Finally, they were given the responsibility of managing this terminal after concluding an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Gateway Limited in December 2023 under Public Private Partnership. But it took six months to start working.

The PCT terminal has a total of three container ship loading jetties, with a length of 584 meters. Besides, 1 204 meter oil discharge dolphin jetty, 80 thousand square meter yard has been constructed. This jetty is 200 meters long and 10 meters deep can accommodate ships. It may take another year to collect all the equipment and get the PC to full capacity. Red Sea Gateway Limited will collect all the required equipment as per the conditions. And according to the agreement, Chittagong Port Authority will get a fixed rate charge from them.