Maersk wants to build a new terminal at Laldia of Ctg port

The government is positively considering the investment proposal of Danish shipping and logistic giant AP Moller Maersk to construct and operate a new container terminal at Chattogram port's Laldia.

Global ports and terminal operator APM Terminals, a subsidiary of Danish shipping company AP Moller Maersk, submitted a proposal to the shipping ministry in April this year for investing around $450 million to construct a new terminal at Laldia area of the port while the Chittagong Port Authority also gave positive response to it.

Maersk Group CEO Robert Maersk Uggla and top-level Danish delegation are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office Gono Bhaban tomorrow morning where Laldia and other port related investment proposals of Maersk Group would be discussed.

CPA Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail who flew from Chattogram this evening to attend the meeting confirmed this correspondent about the matter.

Mentioning that the shipping ministry earlier sought CPA's opinion about Maersk's investment proposal to construct a new terminal in Laldia Char area, CPA Chairman told The Daily Star that they gave go-ahead in reply to the shipping misnitry.

He said they proposed to conduct a technical study by Maersk for construction of the terminal at Laldia Char.

Construction of a terminal having four jetties at Laldia Char was the port's first public-private partnership project involving $301.60 million, approved by the cabinet committee on economic affairs in March 2013. 

Five qualifying international firms were shortlisted from six that vied to take up the project at that time.

The five were Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (India), Bolloré SA (France), China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd, DP World FZE (United Arab Emirates) and Global Ports Services Ltd (Singapore).

A senior CPA official said the initiative was later cancelled since the area was occupied by illegal occupants for long.

The CPA initiated eviction drive at the area in 2019 but it was halted due to a case filed by the occupants.

Following clearance from the High Court, the CPA again started eviction drive in 2021 and managed to recover the land.

CPA officials said the Maersk Group has proposed to construct a new terminal on a 46-acre area of Laldia and initially they proposed to invest $450 million.

The CPA chairman in a programme last week said the port is going to get foreign investment worth $7 billion in the next three years.

At the programme, he also mentioned about Danish investment proposal in Laldia.

The Ctg port users hailed investment proposal of Maersk Group at Laldia Char.

Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Chairman Syed Mohammad Arif said a major portion of containers carrying import and export goods through Chattogram port are owned by Maerskline.

If the Maersk Group that engaged in shipping and logistic across the world and also operate different international terminals construct a new terminal here and operate it the users would surely be able to get global standard services, he opined.