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The construction of the Laldia Container Terminal at Chattogram Port, one of Bangladesh’s largest public-private partnership (PPP) projects with an investment of more than US$550 million, is set to formally begin on Sunday with the laying of its foundation stone.
The foundation-laying ceremony will be held at the Laldia project site at 11am, according to a statement from the Ministry of Shipping.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury will attend the ceremony as the chief guest, while Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam will be present as the special guest.
The terminal is being developed with cooperation from Denmark and is expected to play a significant role in expanding Chattogram Port’s capacity and improving the efficiency of Bangladesh’s international trade and logistics operations.
Chattogram Port is a key driver of the country’s economy, handling the bulk of Bangladesh’s import and export trade. With foreign trade continuing to grow, authorities have stressed the need to expand port capacity, accelerate container handling and provide services meeting international standards.
The Laldia Container Terminal is expected to address these needs through modern infrastructure and technology-based management. The project will include a container yard, jetty, gates, modern cargo-handling facilities and other supporting infrastructure.
The proposed terminal will have an annual handling capacity of around 0.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and a jetty measuring approximately 615 metres in length.
It will also be equipped with advanced cargo-handling machinery, including state-of-the-art ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, to improve the speed and efficiency of container operations.
The Shipping Ministry has been implementing various initiatives to modernise Bangladesh’s ports and inland water transport infrastructure and bring services in line with international standards. The Laldia terminal is considered an important part of those efforts.
Representatives of various ministries, the Chattogram Port Authority, local and foreign companies, business leaders, media organisations and other stakeholders are expected to attend the foundation-laying ceremony.
