Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam has said the under-construction Matarbari Deep Seaport in Cox's Bazar is expected to transform Bangladesh's maritime trade by allowing large mother vessels to call directly at a domestic port, reducing reliance on foreign transhipment hubs.
Responding to a question from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami MP Md Nurul Islam in Parliament on Monday, the minister said construction of the deep seaport was progressing with the aim of starting operations by 2029.
He said the port would include a modern container terminal and a navigational channel with a depth of about 16 metres. Once operational, it will be able to handle container vessels carrying around 8,200 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) or cargo ships of up to 100,000 deadweight tonnes (DWTs), nearly four times larger than the vessels currently served by Chattogram Port.
Shaikh Rabiul Alam said the project would significantly reduce Bangladesh's dependence on transhipment ports such as Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang, lowering shipping times and logistics costs. He added that the deep seaport would improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of cargo transport, strengthen the country's competitiveness in global trade and create new opportunities for imports and exports.
The minister said the port is also expected to become a major regional maritime hub, supporting international trade and transit for neighbouring countries while strengthening regional economic cooperation.
He said the Karnaphuli Channel currently has a depth of between 8.5 and 10 metres, maintained through capital and maintenance dredging. Chattogram Port can accommodate vessels with a draft of up to 10 metres and an average capacity of around 3,000 TEUs. However, as a tidal port, vessel movements depend on tidal conditions.
Shaikh Rabiul Alam acknowledged that the limited channel depth at Chattogram Port continued to affect the efficiency of import and export operations.
"To address the challenge, the government has undertaken several initiatives to reduce time and costs," he said.
Those measures include introducing direct shipping services between Chattogram Port and destinations in Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.
The minister said around 80 per cent of container unloading and delivery operations at Chattogram Port have already been digitalised, with work continuing on the remaining 20 per cent.
He added that the Patenga Container Terminal, built with Chattogram Port's own funding, is now being operated by Saudi Arabia-based Red Sea Gateway Terminal under a government-to-government agreement.
Construction of both the Matarbari Deep Seaport and the Bay Terminal is also progressing. Once completed, the two facilities will be capable of receiving vessels with drafts of between 12 and 14 metres, reducing waiting times through direct berthing.
To ease container congestion, the government is encouraging the delivery of all import containers through private inland container depots and off-docks. More than 10,000 TEUs of long-staying containers at Chattogram Port are also expected to be auctioned through customs to free up yard space and improve cargo handling.
The minister said the government is also working with the National Board of Revenue to introduce pre-arrival customs clearance, allowing imported goods to be cleared before vessels berth.
He said the phased implementation of these measures is expected to improve port productivity, reduce logistics costs and accelerate cargo handling across Bangladesh's maritime sector.
