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Chattogram Port set to become fully paperless smart port

Published : Wednesday, 23 September, 2026 at 5:16 PM

Observer online report

Chattogram Port is moving rapidly towards a fully paperless and smart port, with the authorities targeting completion of the transformation by December.

From bill payments and truck entry to container delivery, vessel clearance and auction deliveries, port services are increasingly being brought under an integrated digital system. The port's existing Port Community System also provides digital services for port operations and online vessel bill payments.

At present, 100 per cent of vessel bills are processed online. The Chittagong Port Authority has also decided to generate and collect container and consignee bills through the Terminal Operating System (TOS).

Other services, including e-gate passes, gate in-out, vessel e-NOCs, online cart tickets and time-slot management, are being brought under digital management. The move is expected to reduce paperwork and manual intervention at different stages of cargo clearance.

According to port officials, a Sonali Bank PLC booth is being set up at the newly built One Stop Service Centre, while an API integration will allow users to make online payments at any time. This will enable port charges to be paid even on holidays and outside office hours.

An auto-pull payment system is also planned for cases where port charges remain unpaid for 72 hours.

The port is also working to automate subsequent stages of cargo delivery. Special delivery assignments will be approved online through the TOS, while auction deliveries through APIs connecting the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Customs, as well as breakbulk operations, are being brought under the digital system.

Digital technology is also being used to improve traffic management at the port. The new version of the TOS will integrate drop tickets, pickup tickets and EIR e-gate passes. This will help manage when trucks enter the port and which cargo they carry out.

A slot-based mapping system is also being introduced at the Bay Terminal, along with a payment-based truck parking ticketing system.

Chattogram Port Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim said increased use of automation and digital systems was improving the efficiency and speed of port services.

He said efficiency at the port had increased by 12 to 14 per cent following the transfer of NCT operations. Digital initiatives such as CPA Sky and pre-arrival processing were also helping speed up port activities.

He said these issues were reviewed at a recent meeting chaired by Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman. The meeting also discussed further digitalisation of port services, reducing traffic congestion, accelerating revenue collection and making services easier for users.

In July, the port authority began digitising every stage of delivery documentation through the TOS, covering the process from application for a Delivery Order to final gate-out. The TOS has also been integrated in real time with the NBR's ASYCUDA World system, allowing the relevant process to be automatically suspended if Customs places a container on hold.

Port stakeholders said the new system would eliminate the need for users to visit multiple offices or desks for the same service. Users will also be able to track documents online and see their status at different stages.

The integrated digital system is expected to reduce processing time and costs, improve transparency, ease traffic management and speed up the collection of outstanding charges.

With the introduction of the Port Single Window, Chattogram Port has already begun its transition towards a fully smart and paperless system. The platform allows users to access multiple services through a single login and monitor vessel movements in real time.

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