Container handling operations at six jetties under Chittagong Port’s General Cargo Berth (GCB) are facing significant disruptions as a dispute between berth operators and shipping agents over onboard container handling charges remains unresolved. The standoff has persisted for over two months, leading to extended vessel stays at the terminal and delays in both import discharges and export shipments.
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has sought intervention from the shipping ministry after multiple meetings failed to resolve the conflict. In a letter dated 6th March, CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk urged for immediate action to establish a fair increase in handling rates to facilitate smoother port operations.
The dispute originated in early January when berth operators proposed an increase in the onboard handling charge, currently set at Taka 559.53 per container. They sought an additional US $ 5 (Taka 607) per container, citing rising operational costs and wages. Fazle Ekram Chowdhury, president of the Berth Operators, Ship-Handling Operators, and Terminal Operators’ Owners’ Association, emphasized that rates have not been adjusted since 2007, making the current pricing unsustainable.
Conversely, Syed Md Arif, Chairman of the Bangladesh Shipping Agent Association (BSAA), criticized the proposed increase as illogical, pointing out that berth operators have already raised charges by 10 percent annually on 40 percent of the total handling fee since 2016.
In response to the stalled negotiations, berth operators reportedly adopted a “go-slow” tactic, deploying fewer workers and trailers than necessary for container handling. Typically, two teams of workers and at least 12 prime movers are required to efficiently unload containers from a vessel equipped with two onboard cranes. Currently, operators are providing only half of the needed resources, resulting in slower operations.
While the dispute is between two parties, CPA Secretary Faruk reiterated the need for the ministry’s intervention to expedite a resolution.
