Benefits Bangladesh will get if Laldia Container Terminal is built –

Ashiq Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), said that if the construction of Laldia Container Terminal (LCT) near Chittagong Port is completed within the next three years, Bangladesh will gain various benefits by increasing foreign investment and increasing container handling capacity.

He presented detailed information on the facility at a press briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy on Wednesday (November 12) at 3 pm.

Following are the benefits that Bangladesh will get if LCT is built

1. Large Foreign Investment (FDI)
Under the agreement, APM Terminals, owned by the Denmark-based Maersk Group, will invest more than USD 800 million over the entire term, making it the single largest European equity investment in Bangladesh. The arrival of such a world-class investor will attract FDI in other sectors of the country as well.

Chittagong Port and APM Terminals are signing a 30-year concession agreement

2. Increased container handling capacity
The commissioning of the LCT will increase the port’s container handling capacity by eight lakh TEUs per annum, which is about 44 percent more than the current capacity. The terminal is expected to be operational by 2030.

3. Increase in income of government and CPAs
The project will be operated on a revenue-sharing basis, whereby the CPA will receive a certain dollar-based revenue per container. At the same time, the government’s income will also increase through taxes, duties and maritime ancillary services.

4. employment
500 to 700 direct jobs will be created during the construction and operation phase of this project and thousands of indirect jobs will be created in the trucking, storage, logistics and local SME sectors.

5. International standards of security and operations
APM Terminals will implement world-class Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) policies, which will reduce accident rates and ensure employee welfare.

6. Modern technology transfer
APM’s advanced digital terminal operating system, LEAN methodology and flow process framework will modernize Bangladesh’s port infrastructure and enhance the skills of local engineers and technicians.

7. Reduced business costs and faster delivery
With faster vessel turn-around times and reduced container dueling times, exporters—especially those in the apparel, agro-processing and light engineering sectors—will be able to deliver products on time, further strengthening Bangladesh’s position in international competition.

8. Skill development of employees
Through APM Terminals’ own training program, Bangladeshi engineers, technicians and managers will receive international quality training, which will enhance the efficiency of the country’s overall logistics sector.

9. Increasing internal economic flows
The port’s annual cargo capacity of 8 lakh TEUs will encourage the establishment of new inland container depots, cold chains and industrial zones along the Dhaka-Chittagong and other economic corridors.

10. Green and climate-resilient port infrastructure
The port will reduce its carbon emissions through the use of energy efficient technologies and climate adaptation initiatives, which will help Bangladesh meet its Paris Agreement (NDC) targets.

11. Setting a precedent for the PPP sector in Bangladesh
A world-class long-term concession agreement will enhance Bangladesh’s PPP capacity and credibility, attracting new foreign investment in the power, transport and social infrastructure sectors in the future. This is not just an infrastructure investment, but will make Bangladesh’s logistics sector ‘future-ready’, ushering in a new era in terms of exports, employment and foreign investment.

MU/MAH/MS