APM Terminals reveals Laldia terminal’s proposed design

APM Terminals has revealed the proposed design and operational plan for the Laldia Container Terminal, offering the first comprehensive look at the $550 million project that is expected to transform container handling at Chattogram port.

Once operational, the Laldia Container Terminal will become Bangladesh’s first container terminal built and operated entirely through foreign direct investment.

The facility is projected to handle nearly 8 lakh twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually, increasing Chattogram port’s overall container handling capacity by nearly 23%.

Stakeholders say the project will help improve operational efficiency and reduce logistics costs for exporters and importers.

APM Terminals recently revealed the terminal’s conceptual layout and technical specifications on its official website, outlining plans to modernise port operations, accommodate larger vessels, and strengthen Bangladesh’s connectivity with global shipping networks.

Notably, the company signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) on 17 November last year under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework.

A 613-metre jetty will feature at the terminal, which will be developed adjacent to the inland container depot “Incontrade Limited” in the city’s Patenga area.

The terminal will accommodate vessels with a 10.5-metre draft.

Its construction is likely to be completed by December 2030. 

APM Terminals, a unit of Danish shipping company Maersk’s Transport and Logistics division, expressed interest in developing the terminal on a 45-acre site at Laldia Char-2 on the right bank of the Karnaphuli River on 16 May 2023.

Its proposal was approved by the CPA Board on 20 July 2023, and the board requested the company to conduct a technical feasibility study.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) granted in-principle approval for the project “Establishment and Operation of Laldia Container Terminal at Chattogram Port through the PPP Model” on 29 November of the same year, said the sources.

Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim told the Daily Sun that the construction of the Laldia Terminal will begin soon.

“It will boost the overall efficiency of the port and help maintain cost competitiveness,” said Hamim.

The planned equipment includes seven cutting-edge ship-to-shore cranes, 32 electrified rubber-tyred gantry cranes, and 41 electrified terminal tractors.

Business leaders have welcomed the release of the terminal’s design, describing it as another important step towards strengthening Bangladesh’s maritime infrastructure.

Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Mohammed Amirul Haque said the greenfield investment represents a major milestone for the country’s port sector.

The global operator will help develop the city into a regional logistics hub, he said.