Bangladesh: Karnaphuli Dry Dock Economic Zone: Dry dock, container port to start operation in 2024
The country’s first shipbuilding and dry dock SEZ is being built at Anwara, Chittagong with a cost of Tk2,200 crore
A dry-dock with a capacity of 100,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage) and a container port under the Karnaphuli Dry Dock Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will start their operations in 2024.
The container port handling capacity will be 25,000-30,000 Twenty-foot equivalent Units (TEUs).
Karnafuly Dry Dock Limited (KDDL) is constructing the country’s first shipbuilding and dry dock SEZ on around 45 acres of land at Anwara upazila in Chittagong with a cost of Tk2,200 crore for building and repairing large ships and increasing container handling capacity of the Chittagong port.
Out of the around 45 acres of land, Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has already allotted 20.98 acres for the SEZ and the rest is KDDL’s own land.
Talking to BSS, KDDL Managing Director Engineer MA Rashid said at present in Bangladesh there is only one dry-dock with the capacity of 20,000 DWT only in Chittagong and its run by the Bangladesh Navy.
Realizing the importance and necessity of building and repairing large ships, KDDL has taken the initiative to construct a dry dock with a capacity of 100,000 DWT, he said.
He added: “The dry dock has been designed for vessels up to 253 meters in length. The dock floor has been designed to allow ‘of-centre-line’ docking of smaller vessels. The number of such vessels depends on the length and width of the vessels.”
Rashid said they have taken the initiative to build four jetties so that ships do not have to stay afloat day after day for docking.
“Two jetties have already come under operation. I think, this is a milestone for the Chittagong port," he added.
He informed that more than 2,500 ships operate through Chittagong port a year along with 30 ships of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation and private owners.
Besides, there are many ships of Bangladeshi owners, registered in other countries, he added
Rashid mentioned that it is mandatory to repair these ships after every two-three years. “But, these ships cannot do it due to capacity constraints of Chittagong Dry Dock Limited. So, the owners of small ships are being bound to repair their ships outside the country.”\
He, however, informed that the World Bank has given Tk800 crore as a loan for building the SEZ.
He said it is expected that the zone will create over 4,000 employment opportunities.
The country's first and the largest private dockyard got the licence for shipbuilding and repairing from BEZA in 2019