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Chittagong Port has once again returned to ‘zero waiting time’, as a result of which the waiting time of ships at the outer anchorage has now come down to zero. This has brought new momentum to import-export activities as the turnaround time of ships has been reduced.
According to port officials, this success has reduced business costs and made the supply system more reliable. At the same time, Bangladesh’s capabilities in international trade are also becoming more visible.
They said that this achievement was possible due to integrated planning, close supervision, and effective coordination of the relevant agencies. Earlier, Chittagong Port achieved ‘zero waiting time’ for the first time in September. After that, this situation continued throughout October, November, and December.
However, in late January and early February, port activities temporarily slowed down due to work stoppages and various complications. Later, as operations resumed in full swing, it was possible to reduce the waiting time of ships to zero again.
Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Syed Refaet Hamim said that the port is open 24 hours a day, even during the Eid holidays. Although the waiting time for ships increased by 3 to 5 days before Eid, the waiting time at the outer anchorage has come down to zero again due to the authorities' increased monitoring and coordination. This allows ships to quickly load and unload goods and leave the port.
He also said that this is reducing the time and costs of shipping companies. Importers are receiving goods quickly, and exporters are able to send goods on time. Reducing logistics costs also has a positive impact on the market price of goods, which benefits consumers. Basically, since the beginning of the month of Ramadan, the port authority has taken special initiatives to keep the waiting time at zero to keep the supply system running. Activities are continued even during the Eid holidays through roster duty of officials and employees.
Source: Online/GFMM
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