Chittagong Port, the principal maritime gateway to Bangladesh which handles 90 per cent of Bangladesh’s exports and imports and about 98 per cent of container trade, witnessed relative normalcy returning on Wednesday after unloading of import shipments from cargo vessels berthed at the outer anchorage came to a grinding halt from Monday on account of inclement weather and rough seas.
Also, transportation of goods over inland water ways from Chittagong was hit during this time.
As per reports, even as a lighter vessel carrying cement clinker developed cracks in its hull due to choppy water and subsequently capsized in the bay near Bhasanchar on Monday morning, at least 40 large cargo ships loaded with goods reportedly had to wait for 3 consecutive days at the outer anchorage as lighter vessels failed to go out and unload goods from them.
However, as the weather improved on Wednesday, five to six lighter vessels sailed out into the outer anchorage to start the process of unloading.
Meanwhile, transportation of goods over inland water ways also took a hit with at least 45 lighter vessels taking 55,000 tonnes of products to places like Dhaka and Narayanganj remaining stranded in the Karnaphuli river after Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) instructed vessels not to cross the bay amidst the inclement weather.
