In a temporary measure to ease ongoing congestion at Chittagong Port, authorities have approved the direct delivery of ICD-bound import containers for a 15-day period, ending on 18th June. The decision comes amid a dispute between Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) agents and inland container depot (ICD) owners over container handling practices.
The move was announced by the Chittagong Custom House following a formal request from the C&F Association, which cited severe congestion caused by limited off-dock handling capacity. In a letter dated 2nd June, Shawkat Ali, General Secretary of the C&F Association, highlighted that the backlog was hampering customs clearance, disrupting supply chains, and delaying essential raw materials to industries, thereby impacting production.
According to the C&F agents, private ICDs are currently holding nearly 17,000 containers, almost twice their designed capacity, prompting calls for temporary direct delivery to mitigate the crisis.
However, the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) responded cautiously. BICDA President Nurul Qayyum Khan noted that only around 8.73 per cent of the total 38,872 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) at the port are ICD-bound containers. He warned that diverting even this small number could interfere with shipping schedules, particularly during the busy pre-Eid period. BICDA also clarified that their affiliated depots, with a combined capacity of 8,000 TEUs, are currently holding 7,621 TEUs, indicating no overflow and normal operations.
Speaking to the media, ASM Rezaul Karim, customs affairs secretary of the Chittagong Customs Agents Association, emphasized the operational strain faced by both the port and ICDs. “There are more containers than ICDs can handle efficiently. This is causing delays in deliveries, affecting market supply, and disrupting factory production due to late arrival of raw materials,” he explained. He warned that if container deliveries are not expedited before the Eid-ul-Adha holiday, the situation could worsen significantly.
The temporary approval aims to alleviate congestion and prevent further disruptions during the peak holiday season, but officials remain cautious about potential impacts on shipping logistics.
