Acute container congestion may soon hit the Chattogram port if faster delivery of import containers cannot be ensured within a few days, the officials said.

The pace of delivery of import load containers is still slow, as the factories and vehicles are yet to be fully operational after the Eid vacation, they said.

The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) today sent separate letters to the importers and the trade body leaders to expedite and ensure smooth deliveries during the weekends and government holidays in the days to come.

The letters signed by the CPA terminal manager were sent to the leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Chittagong Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Syed Nazrul Islam, vice president of BGMEA, admitted that they could not take deliveries in the last few days.

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Suspension of activities for Eid congests Ctg port

"The factories remained closed for seven to eight days while the commercial sector of the respective factories remained closed and even the clearing and forwarding agent firms also went on Eid vacation."

Delivery of import containers from the port slowed down few days before the Eid-ul-Fitr.

Some 5,156 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of import containers were delivered on April 28 but the delivery started to slow down the following day.

Around 800 TEUs were delivered on an average in the last six days until Friday, much lower from 4,500 TEUs delivered on a normal day.

On Eid day, not a single import container got delivered from the port.

Delivery improved a bit on Saturday when a total of 2,591 TEUs were delivered but it is yet to get back its normal pace.

Data collected from the port showed a total of 36,497 TEUs of import load containers were lying at the port until 8 am on May 1 while the number reached 43, 997 TEUs on Sunday morning.

A total of 7,500 TEUs of import containers have been piled up at the port yards in the last eight days as the importers did not take away their consignments due to the Eid holidays.

Readymade garment factories are major importers of their raw materials.

Daily delivery from the port has already started improving since Saturday and it will gain pace with the gradual reopening of the factories, said Islam of the BGMEA.