India’s maritime sector is entering a new phase of accelerated expansion as Dubai-based DP World prepares to invest an additional $5 billion to strengthen the country’s logistics backbone. The announcement builds on the nearly $3 billion the company has already invested in India over three decades, and reflects how aggressively New Delhi has courted global port operators to modernise its ports and supply-chain systems.
Bangladesh, by contrast, remains caught between policy debates and stalled reforms. Despite years of government discussions on bringing internationally recognised operators into Chattogram, no major breakthrough has followed. The port, which handles more than 90% of Bangladesh’s external trade and almost 98% of its containers, continues to lag behind regional competitors in global rankings and operational efficiency.
The contrast between the two neighbours is sharply reflected in the World Bank–S&P Global Container Port Performance Index 2023. Nine Indian ports are placed within the global top 100, while Chattogram ranks 337th among 405 ports—a position that analysts say symbolises the structural inefficiencies holding back Bangladesh’s trade competitiveness.
DP World’s new plan, unveiled in October 2025, aims to create an “integrated supply-chain network” spanning container terminals, multimodal transport corridors, logistics parks, warehousing hubs and digital automation systems. The company already operates five container terminals across India’s eastern and western seaboards—two in Nava Sheva and one each in Mundra, Kochi and Chennai—linked to major industrial zones including Delhi-NCR, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
India’s broader logistics strategy has been anchored in regulatory reforms and rapid technology upgrades. Government data show that the average turnaround time at the country’s 12 state-run major ports declined from 93.59 hours in 2013–14 to 48.06 hours in 2023–24. Officials say the national average is now even lower—“under one day”—as private participation and automation expand.
These improvements are visible in global rankings: Visakhapatnam stands at 19th, Mundra at 27th, while Pipavav, Kamarajar, Cochin, Hazira, Krishnapatnam, Chennai and Jawaharlal Nehru Port also feature among the top 100.
Data from India’s Logistics Data Bank further underline rising efficiency. At Nava Sheva’s Gateway Terminals, average container dwell time in January 2023 was 17.6 hours for imports and 71 hours for exports. At Mundra, studies suggest a typical dwell time of around 25 hours.
Chattogram’s performance, on the other hand, remains comparatively weak. Its average vessel turnaround time is 3.23 days (77.5 hours)—about 60% longer than the average at major Indian ports. Meanwhile, import clearance takes around 11 days, and export-related “border compliance” requires about 36 hours, according to international assessments.
Although the port handled 3.26 million TEU in 2024—up 6.8% from the previous year—productivity gains have been slow. The impact on Bangladesh’s wider export sector is visible: the average lead time for ready-made garment shipments is 95 days, compared with 60 days in Vietnam and 32.5 days in China.
The economic costs are significant. A container vessel calling at an Indian port may complete operations within 48 hours, while the same vessel at Chattogram may face an additional 30-hour delay, raising charter rates, crew expenses, jetty fees, lighterage costs and storage charges. Importers face an even steeper challenge: while Indian manufacturers often receive goods within one or two days of arrival, Bangladeshi factories may wait more than a week, straining cash flow, reducing inventory reliability and allowing temporary shortages to push up prices.
Bangladesh has long considered engaging global terminal operators for facilities such as the New Mooring Container Terminal and the planned Bay Terminal, under public–private partnership models. Advocates—including port officials, business groups and international development partners—argue that such partnerships would bring automation, modern cranes and digital port-community systems, dramatically improving turnaround time and reducing dwell-time delays.
Yet political resistance remains strong. Several labour groups and political factions claim that allowing international operators to manage terminals threatens national sovereignty or risks “handing over” the port. Global precedents, however, paint a different picture: concession models such as build-operate-transfer (BOT) keep land and core infrastructure in government ownership while operators take charge of maintenance and operations for a fixed period. India and many successful maritime economies have relied on this framework.
DP World’s enhanced commitment, India’s falling turnaround times and its strong performance in global port rankings point to a regional logistics landscape where speed, predictability and technology are now central to competitiveness. Bangladeshi analysts warn that the country must now place data-driven indicators—turnaround time, dwell time and World Bank performance rankings—at the centre of policy decisions.
Experts argue that Bangladesh needs rapid automation, full digitalisation of customs and port-community systems, and clear public–private partnership policies. They also stress the need for agreements among workers, business groups and the government to ensure job security and skills development as automation expands.
Bangladesh’s long-standing advantage of low-cost labour, they warn, is no longer sufficient in supply chains increasingly defined by reliability. As India deepens its partnerships with private operators and pushes for leaner logistics, the central question for Bangladesh is becoming unavoidable: can it sustain its export-driven growth while its main port still struggles with 3.23-day vessel waits and 11-day clearance delays?
