Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has granted a three-week extension to Saif Powertec to continue operating Chattogram Container Terminal (CCT) as the process of appointing a new operator remains underway.
The decision is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted terminal operations amid the transition to a new management arrangement.
Under the extension, Saif Powertec will continue operating the terminal for three weeks beyond the expiry of its existing contract on 2 November.
The CPA communicated the decision through an official order issued on Sunday.
The order states that although the existing agreement with Saif Powertec was scheduled to expire on Monday, the authority decided to allow the company to continue operations for another three weeks to maintain operational continuity while the selection process for a new operator is underway.
The extension was granted with due approval from the port authority.
Confirming the decision, CPA Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim told TIMES that the authority had approved a three-week extension of Saif Powertec’s contract.
Asked whether the terminal would be handed over to a new operator after the extended period, he stated that the matter was still under review and that details would be disclosed once a final decision had been made.
Saif Powertec has been involved in operating the CCT for nearly two decades, and the latest extension will allow the company to manage the terminal temporarily while the authority considers its future operational arrangements.
Strategically located between the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and the General Cargo Berths (GCB), the CCT is an important component of Chittagong Port’s container-handling infrastructure.
In 2025, the terminal accounted for approximately 16 per cent of the port’s total container throughput.
The terminal has two berths, allowing two container vessels to be accommodated simultaneously. According to port-related sources, the terminal currently has four gantry cranes, among the oldest at the port, and their declining operational efficiency due to prolonged use has affected handling capacity.
The CCT, which previously handled around 500,000 containers annually, now processes approximately 350,000 to 400,000 containers, with sources fearing that the volume could decline further this year.
More than 300 permanent employees and around 650 to 660 daily-wage workers are currently engaged in operations under Saif Powertec’s management. Any change in the operating arrangement is therefore also expected to have implications for the terminal’s workforce.
