Country's premier port to be fully automated
by 2010, says Ahmed
The chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority, Commodore RU Ahmed, said that he supports the idea of allowing transit facilities to India or other neighbouring countries, claiming that Bangladesh's premier port is capable of handling transit cargo.
'Our port is more efficient now and has the capacity to handle the transit cargo of neighbouring countries,' he claimed while addressing reporters at a press conference organised on Saturday to mark Chittagong Port's 122nd anniversary. The day was titled 'Port Day 2009'.
'If transit is allowed to neighbouring countries we will not face any difficulty in handling their cargo,' he added.
'In the days to come our cargo handling capacity will improve greatly with the commissioning of the newly built New Mooring Container Terminal,' he told reporters.
'But only the government can decide whether it will allow transit to any neighbouring country. We cannot take such a decision,' he pointed out.
The CPA's chairman said that a project, the 'Container terminal management system', to automate Chittagong Port fully by the end of the year 2010 has been initiated, in line with the incumbent government's dream of 'digital Bangladesh'.
'The Chittagong Port will be more dynamic if we can completely automate the container handling operation,' he observed.
He claimed that the rate of piracy at Chittagong Port's channel has dropped in recent years.
Up to March this year only 2 incidents of piracy took place; in 2006 there were 28 incidents of piracy, in 2007 there were 18 and in 2008 there were 12, he told reporters.
He also said that tenders would be floated shortly to engage a global operator to handle the newly built New Mooring Container Terminal.
He also announced that two vessels would be procured shortly to mitigate pollution in the port's channel — one from a US company to collect oil waste and another from a Turkish company to collect solid waste.
Besides, steps have been taken to procure a powerful multipurpose floating crane for salvage operations in the port's channel, and an initiative is being taken to dredge the Karnaphuli River to enable smooth operation of ships.
Apart from these, there is a plan to construct a multi-storied car parking building to accommodate imported vehicles whose number is increasing day by day, he added.
Turning to the sunken coaster that has blocked the port's channel for the last few days, he said that it would be lifted and removed within seven days to ensure free movement of ships. 'The work to do so has begun with the help of local salvage teams,' he added.
http://www.newagebd.com/2009/apr/26/front.html
