Bangladesh Navy-Affiliated Company Takes Over Operations of Chittagong Port’s New Mooring Container Terminal
Chittagong, Bangladesh – July 8, 2025
Chittagong Drydock Limited (CDDL), a ship repair company affiliated with the Bangladesh Navy, has officially assumed control of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chittagong Port. This transition occurred on July 6 at 12:01 a.m., following the expiration of the previous operator Saif Powertech’s contract with the Chittagong Port Authority.
This marks the first time CDDL has been involved in terminal operations at Chittagong Port, a significant milestone for the naval-linked firm. According to local sources, naval officers with prior operational experience at major Bangladeshi ports including Chittagong, Mongla, and Payra are now managing the terminal’s day-to-day activities.
Despite the change in management, operational continuity has been maintained. Employees of Saif Powertech have been absorbed into CDDL and continue to operate key terminal equipment, including 14 gantry cranes. Additionally, port-registered workers have transferred to Drydock’s administration, while Bangladesh Navy personnel have taken over responsibility for the terminal’s information technology systems.
Chittagong Port Secretary Md. Omar Faruk commented on the handover: “The operational activities of the New Mooring Terminal are now running just as before. Those who were employees of Saif Powertech are now working as Drydock employees. The terminal is functioning well under the new management."
The New Mooring Container Terminal is the largest and most technologically advanced container terminal at Chittagong Port. Built in 2007 with an investment of approximately Tk 2,712 crore (equivalent to around $231.5 million), the terminal is capable of simultaneously berthing five vessels — four ocean-going and one inland — and handles the bulk of the port’s container traffic.
Before this transition, Saif Powertech had been managing the terminal partially since 2007 and took over full operations in 2015. Following the recent change, Saif Powertech will continue managing operations only at Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT).
CDDL’s management of the NCT is expected to continue on an interim basis until a long-term agreement with the global port operator DP World is finalized. Facilitated by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), this deal is anticipated to be signed by November 2025. In a related development, Chittagong Port recorded a new milestone in fiscal year 2024-25 by handling a total of 3.29 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), demonstrating its rising importance in global maritime trade.
This operational shift is seen as a strategic move to enhance efficiency and utilize naval expertise in port management, sustaining the terminal’s critical role in Bangladesh’s economy and regional trade connectivity.
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