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Bangladesh is approaching a defining moment in the transformation of Chittagong Port from a traditional cargo gateway into a modern regional maritime and logistics hub. Following the engagement of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) at the Patenga Container Terminal and the development of the Laldia Container Terminal by APM Terminals, the government has approved in principle a draft 15-year concession agreement for the operation and maintenance of Chittagong Port’s New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and its Overflow Container Yard. The PPP Authority identifies Dubai-based DP World as the proposed operator.
The decision has generated debate and protests from different quarters. Such concerns deserve attention, particularly when a strategic national asset is involved. At the same time, the broader national interest requires an objective assessment of what international expertise can contribute to Bangladesh’s maritime future and what safeguards should accompany such an arrangement.
NCT is not an ordinary port facility. It is the largest container-handling terminal at Chittagong Port and a critical gateway for Bangladesh’s international trade. It handled around 44 per cent of Chittagong Port’s container throughput in 2025. Its scale and utilisation underline both the capability of our existing port workforce and the need to prepare for future growth through greater productivity, faster vessel handling, efficient yard management and digitalised operations.
DP World is among the world’s major port and logistics operators, with extensive experience in terminal operations, digitalisation and integrated supply-chain management. International expertise of this nature can potentially introduce modern management practices, advanced cargo-handling systems, equipment optimisation, predictive maintenance and data-driven decision-making.
A seaport is not merely a place where ships load and unload cargo. It can become an engine of industrialisation, logistics, employment, investment and regional connectivity. That perspective is particularly relevant to NCT. Bangladesh should aspire to develop Chattogram not merely as a national gateway but as a competitive regional maritime and logistics hub. Achieving that ambition will require more than additional cranes and berths. It will require efficient terminals, reliable road and rail connectivity, inland waterways, logistics parks, digital trade systems and integration with the future Bay Terminal.
A meaningful localisation and knowledge-transfer programme should therefore form an integral part of the agreement. Qualified Bangladeshi professionals should progressively occupy management, engineering, technical and operational positions. Structured training and certification programmes should create a national pool of maritime professionals capable of managing increasingly sophisticated terminals.
The concession should also establish measurable performance indicators. These could include vessel turnaround time, berth productivity, container dwell time, truck turnaround time, equipment availability, digitalisation milestones, safety standards and customer satisfaction. Independent monitoring and periodic reporting of these indicators would strengthen transparency and public confidence. Nevertheless, a well-defined review mechanism, appropriate penalties for failure to meet KPIs, and clear provisions for the end of the concession should also be established.
The existing workforce must also be treated as an important national resource. Port workers possess valuable operational knowledge accumulated over many years. Modernisation should therefore include appropriate retraining, redeployment and localisation rather than treating existing manpower simply as an obstacle to change.
Concerns surrounding a strategic national asset cannot be addressed by efficiency alone. Port security, cybersecurity of digital systems and protection of sensitive cargo and information must remain under effective national oversight. The concession terms, financial arrangements, regulatory responsibilities and performance obligations should therefore be transparent and subject to effective government oversight. A concession is not a transfer of ownership; however, the terms governing operational rights, financial returns, performance and oversight will determine whether the arrangement serves the national interest.
Before operational responsibility changes hands, the existing infrastructure and equipment should undergo a comprehensive technical assessment. Establishing a clear baseline will make it possible to objectively measure the improvements achieved during the concession period. Port modernisation should also be aligned with broader national priorities, including green port development, digitalisation, multimodal transport, hinterland connectivity and the development of the Bay Terminal. Different terminals should complement one another as components of a coherent national maritime strategy.
Bangladesh does not have to choose between national interest and international expertise. Properly structured partnerships can allow the country to benefit from global experience while strengthening its own maritime capability. The NCT arrangement should ultimately be assessed against measurable outcomes: improved efficiency, lower logistics costs, stronger connectivity, technology transfer, development of Bangladeshi professionals, protection of workers’ legitimate interests and preservation of effective national regulatory oversight.
The debate surrounding NCT is important, but the larger issue extends beyond a terminal or an operator. Bangladesh is gradually building a new maritime infrastructure landscape comprising NCT, PCT, Laldia, Pangoan, and the future Bay Terminal, with growing participation by internationally experienced terminal operators. Together, these facilities can help transform Chattogram from a conventional cargo gateway into a competitive regional maritime and logistics hub.
Bangladesh should welcome expertise, protect its national interests and build its own capacity. If we can achieve all three, NCT can become not merely a better-operated terminal, but a catalyst for maritime industrialisation, regional connectivity and a stronger maritime future for Bangladesh.
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The writer is a former Commodore of the Bangladesh Navy and a maritime security analyst