The Bangladesh Journal - Construction of Pangaon container terminal in progress

The construction of the internal container river terminal at Pangaon in Keraniganj area in the city is in progress, reports BSS.

The terminal is being constructed for facilitating transportation of containers offloaded at Chittagong and Mongla ports through the waterways in the country, an official handout said.

The filling of 60 acres at an estimated cost of Taka 115 crore at the project site has already been completed.

It is expected that the project, jointly taken up by Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), would be completed within June 2009.

Water Transport Adviser Major General (Retd) MA Matin today visited the site at Keraniganj to see the progress of the project.
Shipping Secretary Sheikh Enayet Ullah and BIWTA Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose were present.

The Adviser was told that the work on the project is being implemented under six packages and tenders have already been offered as part of the packages.

After implementation, it would be possible to handle 116,000 TEUS containers in a year at the terminal in an area of 60 acres.

Another 16 acres of land has been reserved for handling extended containers at the terminal, which would raise the handling capacity to 2 lakh containers annually, the handout said.

About 70 percent containers offloaded at the Chittagong Port are being transported towards the city increases pressure on Kamlapur ICD.

After implementation of the project, it would be possible to transport containers from Chittagong through waterways.

The Adviser said the Pangaon container terminal would play an important role in the present perspective. He urged all concerned to implement the project within the specified time.