Chattogram Port is facing mounting congestion as delays in unloading lighter vessels have sharply increased ship accumulation at the outer anchorage, disrupting supply chains and raising concerns over higher import costs ahead of Ramadan.
The pressure is illustrated by the case of MV BEL FORTUNE, a bulk carrier that arrived at Chattogram Port on 25 December carrying 59,304 metric tons of wheat from Vancouver, Canada. While such vessels usually complete unloading within 12 to 15 days, the ship remained at the port for 29 days due to a shortage of lighter vessels. As of 24 January, about 16,064 metric tons of wheat were still on board.
The prolonged stay has resulted in demurrage costs of at least $20,000 per day, payable by the shipping agent on behalf of the importer, significantly increasing the overall import bill.
The congestion stems primarily from a shortage of lighter vessels, which are used to transport cargo from mother vessels anchored offshore to inland destinations. Sector insiders say around 700 lighter vessels are currently stuck across the country’s waterways after importers failed to unload cargo on time, instead using the vessels as floating warehouses.
With large numbers of lighter vessels immobilised inland, fewer are available to serve mother vessels at Chattogram Port’s outer anchorage. This has slowed cargo discharge and led to a rapid buildup of ships at sea.
Port data show a sharp deterioration in congestion levels. According to the Chattogram Port Authority, the total number of workable vessels surged by 87.23 per cent within a month. On 22 January the port recorded 141 workable vessels, with 123 positioned at the outer anchorage. By comparison, on 7 January there were 125 workable vessels, of which 106 were anchored offshore, while on 22 December the port had 125 workable vessels but only 78 at the outer anchorage.
Officials at the Chattogram Port Authority said imports of consumer goods ahead of Ramadan have added pressure, but acknowledged that the situation has worsened due to delays in the return of lighter vessels after inland unloading. As a result, cargo discharge from mother vessels has slowed by an estimated 30 to 35 per cent.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Coordination Cell confirmed that about 700 lighter vessels are currently immobilised nationwide. BIWTCC spokesperson Parvez Ahmed said the failure of importers to unload cargo promptly is the main driver of the crisis, adding that shipping agents are paying demurrage of $15,000 to $20,000 per day depending on vessel size.
After discharge at Chattogram Port, cargo is transported through 34 inland waterways to warehouses across the country. Around 3,000 lighter vessels and tankers operate from the port, including oil tankers and industrial fleet ships. Of these, roughly 1,800 are privately owned lighter vessels, many of which are routinely used as floating storage facilities.
Engineer Mehboob Kabir, general secretary of the Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association, said the Department of Shipping has taken steps to curb hoarding practices and expressed hope that traders would unload stranded cargo quickly to normalise operations.
Industry data show that more than 1.1 million metric tons of goods are currently stuck in waterways, including edible oil, sugar, pulses, corn, food grains, coal, stone, cement clinker, gypsum, urea and fly ash. Each lighter vessel carries an average of 1,500 metric tons, and more than 60 per cent of the stranded vessels have exceeded the standard unloading timeframe of 11 days, with some held up for more than a month.
To address the situation, the Department of Shipping issued a warning on 22 January. Director General Commodore Md Shafiul Bari instructed importers and business groups whose lighter vessels have remained loaded for more than 15 days to immediately unload cargo.
In letters sent to managing directors of nine business groups and leaders of two trade bodies, the department said misuse of lighter vessels as floating warehouses has created an acute shortage. The cargo includes consignments belonging to R B Agro Limited, Nabil Group, Noapara Traders, Shabnam Vegetable Oil Industries, Sheikh Brothers, Spectra Group and Akij Group.
Commodore Md Shafiul Bari said concerned parties have been given five working days to unload cargo and release the vessels, warning that legal action would follow if the situation does not improve.
