The CPA chairman said this while addressing a views exchange meeting with the journalists at Munshi Fazlur Rahman auditorium of Chattogram port on Tuesday noon.
The CPA organised the views exchange on the occasion of the 136th founding anniversary of the port.
‘We are developing 50 software modules to automate the work of different departments of the port with a view to turning the CPA into an international standard port,’ the CPA chairman said.
The CPA chairman said that they implemented the system titled ‘Re-engineering of one stop service centre: A sustainable solution to combat pandemic situation at the CPA.
He also said that Customs Clearing and Forwarding agents could pay charges of the port through the system and they were also able to submit delivery orders, verify bills, make bill preparation bill payments, port release and cart ticker issue.
Bangladesh witnessed history on Tuesday with the berthing of larger vessels with record drafts.
Panama flagged MV Owusu Maru, a 229-metre long and 12.5 metre draft, carrying 67,000 tonnes of coal loaded from Tarahan in Indonesia, berthed at the Coal Jetty of Matarbari Terminal at 3:42pm on Tuesday, said the CPA chairman.
‘Chattogram port has increased the capacity to contain 55,000 TEUs containers at 5.90 lakh square metres yards. Once the Bay Terminal, Matarbari Port Development and Patenga Terminal are opened, it’ll help enhance the capacity of the port,’ he said.
‘Chattogram district administration handed over documents of 67 acres of land to the Chattogram port in October 2021 for the Bay Terminal project. We requested the land ministry through the shipping ministry to allocate 803 acres of land with a nominal price for the Bay Terminal project,’ he said.
‘Bay Terminal channels have no bends. Therefore, it will be possible to berth ships of draft of 10-12 meters there,’ he said.
The initial cost of the project has been estimated at Tk 21 thousand crore, he informed.