THE Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has urged the Bangledesh shipping ministry to change its rules to prevent businessmen from storing imported goods on the docks to ease congestion, The Daily Star of Dhaka reported.
Importers usually keep their imported goods on port premises for 35-40 days, which has resulted in container congestion.
In a letter sent to the ministry, the CPA called for new tariffs to clear containers from port premises. The letter, quoted Kamrul Hossain, operations director of the port, as saying developed countries demand importers clear containers from the docks in five to six days.
The CPA has formed a 10-member committee to find ways to ease container congestion at the country's premier seaport. The committee has suggested measures for traders to clear their imported goods from the port within the shortest possible time.
The eight-kilometre long port jetties have the capacity to hold 10,000 containers but the port currently stores about 18,000 containers.
Importers pay US$4.50 a day for keeping one TEU at the port after 28 days from offloading their goods. They can keep containers for four days free of charge and then pay $1.50 each day after four days.
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