30pc of Matarbari project done, 2029 for operation eyed

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 25: Construction of the Matarbari Port Development Project (MPDP), the country’s first deep-sea port in Cox’s Bazar, is progressing, with around 30 per cent of the physical work completed. The port is targeted to begin operations by December 2029, with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The port is being developed to handle large vessels carrying up to 8,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). Its facilities will include a 760-metre jetty, container and multipurpose terminals, and modern cargo-handling and logistics facilities. 

The port is expected to help ease pressure on existing ports, facilitate international trade and improve transport links with the Maheshkhali-Matarbari economic corridor.

The project is expected to open up new opportunities for Bangladesh’s maritime trade and energy sector. By allowing larger vessels to call at the country’s shores, Matarbari could improve the movement of goods, strengthen energy supply chains and help attract greater foreign investment.

“Nearly 30 per cent of the physical work has already been completed,” said Syed Refayet Hamim, secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA).

He said 283 acres of land had been acquired for the first phase of the project, with Tk 162.50 crore paid to the Cox’s Bazar district administration as compensation for the land.

Civil works for the main port terminals are underway following the signing of a Tk 6,196.67-crore contract for Phase-1 with a Japanese joint venture comprising Penta-Ocean Construction and TOA Corporation.
Under Package-1, work includes geotube dam construction, sand filling and ground improvement using the cement deep mixing (CDM) method. 

The design work under Package-2, covering equipment, the terminal operating system (TOS) and security arrangements, is nearing completion by a consortium comprising Mitsui E&S and Tec International.
The port is designed to accommodate vessels with drafts of up to 12.5 metres at the coal jetty and 10 metres at the oil jetty.

The CPA has launched maintenance dredging in the Matarbari deep-sea port channel to restore navigability and ensure the safe and uninterrupted movement of vessels. Sediment accumulation in several sections has reduced the channel’s depth, making maintenance necessary to preserve the required navigational draft.

Coal-carrying vessels are already using the channel regularly, while LNG carriers are expected to operate there more frequently in the near future.

According to the CPA, an assessment of the channel’s seabed conditions and sediment transport patterns identified a trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) as the most suitable option for the maintenance work.

Maintaining the required channel depth is crucial for the safe movement of large commercial vessels, coal carriers and LNG ships. The CPA said the work would help strengthen the country’s energy supply chain and facilitate international trade.