A multipurpose terminal is going to be built at Pyra deep seaport to enhance the cargo handling capacity of the country’s third port.

The move comes as part of the government’s mid-term development plan under which the entry of 10-metre draft ships is supposed to be possible at the port by 2019.

The project seeks to construct a 1,200-metre multipurpose terminal at the under-construction port to facilitate loading and unloading from large ships at the port by 2021.

Of the estimated project cost, Tk 4,945.46 crore is expected to come from third Indian Line of Credit (LOC) while Bangladesh government is likely to provide Tk 273.12 crore. 

Payra Port, one of the top-priority projects of the government, is being implemented on the bank of Rabnabad channel of Patuakhali district.

This partially constructed port in Payra began basic operations in August 2016. The port is being developed in three phases — short-term, mid-term and long term.

The full construction project of the port will have 19 separate components, 13 of which will be implemented under the foreign direct investment, and six of which will be financed through the government-to-government deals.

Under the Long-Term Plan, by 2023, the port will have a 16-metre channel, while all terminals would be constructed, and associated facilities - an EEZ, airport, port city, dockyard or shipyard, and eco-tourism facilities - would be in place.

In the short-term, the government planned to carry clinker, fertilizer and other bulk items through smaller vehicles from bulk carriers at the outer anchorage. 

In the mid-term, the first terminal, coal and dry bulk terminal and multipurpose terminal will be constructed and capital dredging of Ramnabad Channel will be done to allow large ships at the port.

In the long-term, the port authority plans to build a trans-shipment terminal, deep-water container terminal, offshore terminal or supply base, core port infrastructure, renewable power generation, housing, education and health facilities, procure towage harbour tugs, the internal ferry terminal, etc.

Other necessary infrastructure like an airport, rail connectivity, ship yard and ship repair facility, plus LNG and Liquid Bulk Terminal will be built by the other ministries concerned.

Payra Port Authority (PPA) appointed a joint team of Dutch company Royal Haskoning DHV and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) in February this year to prepare a detailed master plan for the overall development of the port at a cost of Tk 125 crore.

 “In face of more exposure to international trade and growing congestion at the key Chattagram port, the country is in a crying need of a new port to lower export and import cost and time,” commented a shipping ministry official.

Because of its geographical location, Pyra port is seen as a solution to this problem because it will be able to handle the growing number of containers to and from the capital Dhaka city and elsewhere.

Under the project, the construction of a 1,200 metre back-up jetty with other access facilities, 4.80 lakh square metre back-up yard, 10km slope protection work, 33kv electricity line, power transmission line, 10km optical fibre line, water purification plant will be done.

Besides, 2.4km rail line for gantry cranes, 5km highway, mid-sized bridge, security post, guest house, fuel stations will be constructed while two tug boats will be procured.