As the construction of its warehouse in Chittagong is advancing, A.P. Moller Maersk has now intensified efforts to secure a contract to operate the Patenga Container Terminal through its subsidiary APM Terminals.
In this case, Maersk is vying with Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) and DP World who have also expressed interest to operate the terminal in Bangladesh.
Local companies who operate other terminals of the Chittagong port are also on the list of contenders who are breathing down in its neck.
Maersk is pushing forward the case through the Danish government to the high-ups of the Bangladesh government as many other competitors have already become involved.
Last week the Danish Ambassador in Dhaka Winnie Estrup Petersen along with Maersk top officials met Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan and also with the state minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury to pursue them to obtain the Patenga Terminal operation contract.
“Aiming to improve supply chain efficiency, the company considers the Patenga Container Terminal a crucial enabler for local and global growth and a key element of meeting the country’s export ambitions,” said the Danish embassy, adding that APM Terminals’ interest in partnering with Bangladesh is rooted in Denmark’s goals to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.
“APM Terminals remains committed to developing and upgrading the infrastructure in Bangladesh, and firmly believe that it would trigger further investments along the supply chain and open new markets to Bangladeshi importers and exporters, while serving as a catalyst for future relations between the European Union and Bangladesh,” said the statement.
Specifically, APM Terminals considers the Patenga Container Terminal as having the potential to alleviate many of the constraints that adversely impact the Chittagong seaport today, hindering the future economic growth of Bangladesh.
“The Chittagong seaport is currently utilised at over 100% of its capacity. While truly commendable, it is not a sustainable solution matching the country’s growth ambitions,” said Martijn van Dongen, vice president, Global Head of Corporate Development at APM Terminals.
“We believe that by developing a new terminal in Patenga together with our Bangladeshi partners, we can provide a viable and much-needed infrastructure solution with a positive economic impact,” he pointed out.
According to CPA officials, Patenga Container Terminal, which the Bangladesh Army is constructing at a cost of US$240 million, funded by the CPA, will have 500,000 TEU annual capacity and is expected to start operations by this June.
Sharar Nayel
Asia Correspondent
