CHATTOGRAM, Mar 11: A total of 8 vessels carrying LNG, LPG, and other petroleum products left the Chattogram Port after unloading cargo during the last one week. A total of six vessels are now in the Chattogram port for unloading the cargo. Besides, four more vessels carrying fuels are expected to arrive Chattogram Port in three days.
Syed Refayet Hamim Secretary of Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) confirmed it to the Daily Observer on Wednesday evening.
He told the Daily Observer that a total of 15 ships are now anchored in the port on Wednesday include; 2 LPG carrier, 5 LNG carrier, 2 gas oil, 2 Hyper Sulphur carrier, one chemical, one crude carrier and 2 diesel carrier.
Among them 5 LNG and 2 LPG carriers from Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as vessels transporting diesel and furnace oil from Singapore and Malaysia.
These vessels, part of a larger shipment, include four LNG tankers carrying 247,000 tonnes, with several other tankers bringing over 147,000 tonnes of diesel and fuel for power plants.
Four tankers are bringing a total of 147,005 tonnes of diesel to the port, with specific vessels like SPT Themis, Raffles Samurai, and Chang Hang Hong Tu scheduled to arrive.
Four ships are carrying approximately 247,000 tonnes of LNG, primarily from Ras Laffan Port in Qatar, for use in power plants and industries.
Some cargo ships have also brought industrial raw materials, including chemicals, petrochemicals and materials used in the plastic industry, which will support the country's manufacturing sector.
Two additional vessels - Raffles Samurai and Chang Hang Hong Tu - are expected to reach the port next Saturday, each carrying around 30,000 tonnes of diesel.
According to the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the country's normal daily demand for diesel is around 12,000 tonnes. The five tankers together could meet roughly 12 days of demand.
According to the National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh imported 2.328 million tonnes of diesel from nine countries between July and February of the current fiscal year.
Of that total, 78pc came from Singapore, Malaysia, and India, while no diesel was imported from Middle Eastern countries during the period.
Meanwhile, the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has decided to prioritize berthing facilities for the ships to ensure a smooth fuel supply system for both the government and private sectors.
The decision was made during a coordination meeting chaired by Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman to ensure an uninterrupted supply chain and bunkering of fuel oil recently.
The meeting aimed to improve the fuel supply system by assessing demand in a coordinated manner and prioritizing berthing facilities for fuel-carrying ships.
The port authority confirmed that there are no issues in the fuel supply system despite the quick docking of fuel-carrying ships. Representatives at the meeting stated that the country's current fuel reserves are sufficient, and there is ample capacity to meet demand.
