Bay Terminal moves closer to construction as 3-D simulation completed

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 1: Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) is set to float a tender within this year to appoint a contractor for construction of the Bay Terminal’s marine infrastructure, marking a major step towards turning the long-awaited project into reality.

CPA Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim told the Daily Observer that the 3-dimensional (3-D) simulation of the Bay Terminal’s breakwater design was completed in South Africa on September 20. And a four-member CPA expert team returned home on September 24 after completing the technical exercise.

The 3-D simulation was conducted in South Africa because of the availability of specialised coastal and port-engineering facilities capable of testing wave behaviour, harbour conditions and the performance of the proposed breakwater under different marine scenarios. The simulation follows the completion of a 2-D simulation of the breakwater design in May, this year. 

The two simulations are intended to validate the technical design of the protective breakwater before construction begins. The breakwater is considered a critical component of the Bay Terminal as it will protect the harbour from strong waves and extreme weather.

The CPA expert team is now preparing technical and tender documents based on the simulation results, after which the authority will invite bids for appointment of the contractor, Hamim said.

CPA officials said the breakwater needs to be constructed first, while dredging and land acquisition will proceed as part of the wider development. Completion of the breakwater design is also considered important for prospective private investors assessing the project's technical and commercial viability.

Global port operators PSA International of Singapore and DP World have expressed interests in developing the proposed container terminals under public-private partnership arrangements, and discussions with the government are ongoing.

The World Bank is financing the project's core marine infrastructure, including breakwater construction and channel dredging.

The Bay Terminal Marine Infrastructure Development Project was approved by ECNEC in April, this year, while the World Bank loan agreement was signed in 2025.

The project will comprise a 1,500-metre multipurpose terminal, a 1,225-metre container terminal and an 830-metre container terminal, providing a combined berth length of 3,500 metres and allowing four to five large vessels to berth simultaneously.

A six-kilometre climate-resilient breakwater and dredged navigation channel will enable larger vessels, including Panamax ships, to operate more efficiently. Officials estimate that improved vessel turnaround could save the economy around $1 million a day.

The Bay Terminal, to be developed over about 900 acres along the Patenga coastline, is expected to increase the CPA's container-handling capacity by up to 5 million TEUs annually, compared with the current capacity of around 3.1 million TEUs.