The Bangladesh government has decided to temporarily hand over operations of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chittagong Port to the Bangladesh Navy for a six-month period starting July 7, following the end of Saif Powertec’s long-standing contract.
Saif Powertec, which managed the terminal since 2006, saw its 17-year term expire recently. In response, the government opted for a transitional arrangement with the Navy to ensure uninterrupted port activities. Officials have confirmed that the Navy will oversee operations using the existing workforce employed under Saif Powertec. The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) retains the authority to appoint a new permanent operator during the interim period.
The announcement came after a high-level meeting on July 2, chaired by CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman and attended by former military officer and Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) M Sakhawat Hussain. He stated that a formal agreement will soon be signed between the Navy and CPA and a committee led by a naval officer will supervise operations under CPA authorisation.
Approximately 3,800 workers currently assigned to the terminal will remain in their roles. Discussions are ongoing about whether these employees will remain under Saif Powertec’s payroll or shift to a different arrangement. The company has pledged full cooperation during the handover.
Meanwhile, initial discussions are underway with Dubai-based DP World regarding a potential long-term operational deal for NCT. However, the CPA emphasised that any agreement with DP World would be under a fixed-term contract and ownership of the terminal would remain entirely with the port authority.
To facilitate a smooth transition, the CPA has activated various internal departments to ensure all systems and equipment are ready. Task forces have been formed and a short-term tender was issued on June 24 for the procurement of key transport equipment like tractor-trailers and prime movers.
Port insiders expressed optimism about continued efficiency at NCT, which has four berths capable of handling four container ships simultaneously. Though its annual designed capacity stands at 1.1 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), the terminal currently handles around 1.3 million TEUs each year, contributing nearly Taka 1,000 crore in revenue to the port authority.
