Bangladesh launches construction of Matarbari Deep-Sea Port

The deep-sea port, boasting a 14-kilometer-long, 350-meter-wide main navigation channel with a water draft of 18.7 meters, will accommodate vessels carrying up to 8,200 TEUs and bulk carriers with a deadweight tonnage of nearly 70,000. The total expenditure for the deep-sea port is estimated at $2 billion, with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) contributing the majority as a loan, and the government and the Chittagong Port Authority covering the remaining costs.

Matarbari port is positioned to become the deepest port among its Asian counterparts. Notable comparisons include the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka with a 17-meter water draft, the port of Colombo with a depth of 15.5 meters, and Singapore's maximum water draft of 16 meters. Additionally, the main channel of the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia has a 16-meter depth, Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates boasts a water depth of 15.2 meters, and Busan's channel has a water depth of 12 meters.

The absence of a deep-sea port currently necessitates the use of feeder vessels to transport Bangladesh's export cargo to regional transshipment ports like Colombo, Singapore, Port Klang, and Tanjung Pelepas. From there, the cargo is transferred to mother vessels for the final leg of the journey. Similarly, import cargo is routed through these transshipment ports, incurring increased transportation costs.

The completion of the deep-sea port will enable mother vessels to directly dock at its jetties, significantly reducing transportation costs and time. Officials anticipate a nearly halved shipping time, with containers from Bangladesh reaching Europe in approximately 17 to 18 days compared to the current 42 days through transshipment ports.

Situated approximately 70 kilometers from the Chittagong port by waterways, the deep-sea port is slated to commence full-fledged operations by 2026, according to Chittagong port officials, with administration handled by the Chittagong Port Authority.