DHAKA, July 01, 2025 (BSS) - The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is going to run the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) as the government has already taken final decision to take over the terminal from private operator Saif Powertec Ltd. 

According to the sources in CPA, the current contract with Saif Powertec Ltd is set to expire on July 6.

The CPA will run NCT for the next 6 months and for this, it has requested an allocation of Taka 42 crore from the Ministry of Shipping at the rate of Taka 7 crore per month.

Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain, Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, and Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser for International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi visited the port on Saturday and gave directions for the management of NCT after meeting with the officials concerned and stakeholders.

Talking to BSS, CPA Secretary Omar Farooq said that the contract signed with Saif Power Tech is not being renewed. 

"NCT will come under the control of the port authority from July 7 and operational activities of cargo handling will be conducted with the port's manpower and existing equipment. The higher authorities have also given special consideration for taking the cooperation of the Bangladesh Navy in carrying out NCT operational activities. However, it is not yet final," he added.

The CPA has ready floated an open tender to buy tractor-trailers with prime movers for NCT operations. The tender, issued by the office of the CPA's chief mechanical engineer, is set to close at noon on July 3.

Newmooring Container Terminal (NCT) is the most important and largest container terminal of Chittagong Port. The CPA built it in 2007 at a cost of Taka 570 crore. This terminal has five jetties. There are various equipments, including key gantry cranes. 

After the completion of the infrastructure construction of Newmooring Container, the largest of the 4 container terminals of Chittagong Port, several foreign companies have shown interest in operating the terminal by installing equipment with their own investment.

At that time, the port authority also invited international tenders. But due to the then Awami League government's interest in earning illegal money through corruption by businessmen and politicians, the responsibility of managing NCT passed to their loyalist Saif Power Tech. 

Fazle Ekram Chowdhury, president of the Berth Operators, Ship-Handling Operators, and Terminal Operators' Owners' Association, welcomed the decision and said although there will be temporary problems, but the problems will be resolved quickly. 

Former director of the Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) Mahfuzul Haque Shah, said, "It is not important who operates the NCT, but how quickly the service is provided. In this case, if the NCT can operate in the interest of the country and the nation, beyond the pressure of the Chittagong Port Trade Union, everyone will benefit."