Govt extends Chittagong Dry Dock’s NCT operation contract by six months

The government has extended the contract of Chittagong Dry Dock Limited (CDDL), a subsidiary of the Bangladesh Navy, for operating the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram Port for another six months or until a new operator is appointed.

The decision was approved at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase held at the Secretariat today (24 May), chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.

According to sources at the meeting, the Ministry of Shipping placed the proposal after the expiry of the previous agreement signed with CDDL for operating the NCT and its overflow yard.

Officials said the extension was approved under the existing rates and conditions to ensure uninterrupted port operations while the process of appointing a new operator is completed.

The Ministry of Shipping Secretary Zakariya told The Business Standard, “We heard that the cabinet meeting made a decision to extend the contract of Chittagong Dry Dock Limited to operate NCT. But we have not yet received any formal decision.”

CDDL took over operations of the New Mooring Container Terminal on 7 July last year, replacing Saif Powertec, which had operated the terminal for 17 years.

The NCT is one of the key facilities under the Chittagong Port Authority, with an annual container handling capacity of around 1.1 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). However, the terminal currently handles nearly 1.3 million TEUs annually.

The terminal has four jetties capable of accommodating four container vessels simultaneously and generates nearly Tk1,000 crore in annual revenue for the port authority.