Port of Chittagong
Bangladesh’s busiest seaport — a complete guide to berths, anchorages, cargo handling, documentation and vessel operations, prepared by Port One Overseas Shipping Ltd.
An Overview of the Port of Chittagong
Historical Background
The history of Chittagong Port dates back to the 4th century BC, when it was noted in ancient Roman maps. From the 9th to the 15th centuries it thrived under Arab and Mughal trade, and in the 16th century Portuguese settlers named it “Porte Grande”. The port was officially established in 1887 under British rule and has grown significantly since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.
Additional Information
Chittagong is Bangladesh’s busiest seaport and is crucial to the country’s economy, handling about 90% of Bangladesh’s export-import trade. The port has undergone significant modernization and expansion to accommodate increasing cargo volumes.
It also serves as a gateway to the northeastern states of India, Nepal and Bhutan, giving them access to international markets. With its strategic location and modern facilities, Chittagong remains a key regional and global trade hub.
Geographic Location
- Position
- On the Karnaphuli River estuary in southeastern Bangladesh, about 11 km upstream from where the river meets the Bay of Bengal.
- Coordinates
- 22.32° N, 91.80° E, near Chattogram city.
- River context
- The Karnaphuli is a major waterway of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Its estuary provides a navigable channel for the port’s operations.
- Connectivity
- Substantial road and rail connections to Chattogram city support cargo movement to inland destinations.
Operational Details
Pilotage
According to CPA (Chittagong Port Authority) law, pilotage is mandatory. From anchorage to the berth area, pilotage is available on the high tide during daytime only.
Radio Communication
The Port Radio Control Room monitors VHF channels 6, 12, 16 and 2182 kHz on a 55B transceiver.
Anchorage
The anchorage area is divided into “A”, “B” and “C”. A special anchorage area is designated for vessels awaiting employment.
Night Navigation
Inward and outward night movements are restricted to vessels with an overall length (LOA) of up to 170 meters.
Tidal Range
Tides are crucial for navigation, determining whether vessels can cross the shallow areas between Kutubdia, the Karnaphuli entrance and the bars within the Port Limit. Tides are semi-diurnal with a significant diurnal effect, with an approximate range of 2.0 to 5.5 meters.
Infrastructure & Facilities
Owned and operated by the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), these facilities cater to a wide variety of cargo types and vessel requirements.
Jetties and Moorings for Ocean-going Vessels
| Facility Type | Qty | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| General Cargo Berths | 6 | Textiles, garments and mixed cargo |
| Container Berths | 11 | Containerized cargo operations |
| Dolphin Oil Jetty (POL) | 3 | Petroleum, oil and lubricants |
| Grain Silo Jetty | 1 | Bulk grain handling |
| Cement Clinker Jetty | 1 | Cement and clinker handling |
| TSP Jetty | 1 | Triple superphosphate fertilizer |
| CUFL Jetty | 1 | Urea fertilizer handling |
| KAFCO Urea Jetty | 1 | Specialized urea exports |
| Ammonia Jetty | 1 | Liquid ammonia handling |
| Dry Dock Jetties | 2 | Vessel repair and maintenance |
| Mooring Berths | 3 | Temporary vessel mooring |
| Total | 36 |
Jetties for Inland Coasters and Vessels
| Facility Type | Qty | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Jetty Berth (POL) | 1 | Petroleum products |
| Concrete Berth (Grain) | 1 | Bulk grain handling |
| Pontoon Berths (POL) | 3 | Petroleum products |
| Pontoon Berth (Cement) | 1 | Cement handling |
| Single Point Mooring | 19 | Oil and liquid cargo transfer |
| Total | 25 |
Cargo Handling
The port handles a diverse range of cargo, supported by specialized equipment and storage facilities.
| Cargo Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Containers | Handled at dedicated container terminals with modern cranes |
| Bulk Cargo | Grain, cement, coal, clinker, fertilizers (e.g. TSP, urea) |
| General Cargo | Mixed goods, including iron materials, cotton and chemicals |
| Petroleum Products | POL and edible oil, handled at Dolphin jetties and SPMs |
| Textiles and Garments | Major export, primarily ready-made garments (RMG) |
Supporting Facilities
- Container terminals equipped with gantry cranes and straddle carriers
- Cargo handling equipment, including mobile cranes and forklifts
- Warehouses and open storage yards for bulk and general cargo
- Cold storage for perishable exports such as frozen goods
Draft, LOA & Anchorage
Draft and LOA Restrictions
| Location | Draft (m) | LOA (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Jetty | 8.55 | Max 190.00 |
| KDDJ | 9.00 | Max 180.00 |
| Anchorage | 11.50 | No restriction |
Anchorage Areas
| Anchorage | Draft (m) |
|---|---|
| “A” Anchorage | 11.50 (subject to permissible inward tide/draft) |
| “B” Anchorage | 9.50 |
| “C” Anchorage | 0.00 |
| Kutubdia Anchorage | 15 / 16 |
Anchorage Details
| Anchorage | Details |
|---|---|
| “Alpha” Anchorage | Customary lightening area for vessels with 11.50 m draft |
| “Bravo” Anchorage | For vessels ready to enter the inner harbor within 24 hours |
| “Charlie” Anchorage | For sailing vessels |
- No LOA / beam / air-draft restrictions at Chittagong Inner Anchorage.
- Chittagong Inner Anchorage is within the Chittagong Port Limit.
- Boats, tug boats and lighter vessels are used to board vessels at Chittagong Anchorage.
Max Draft at Berth
- Maximum draft at general berth: 8.5 m
- New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) 03 to NCT 05: 9.0 m
- Water density: variable
Environmental & Operational Specifications
Water Density and Distances
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Water Density | Varies at each turn of the tide (semi-diurnal with a prominent diurnal effect). Density at the CPA outer anchorage varies from 1002 to 1012 kg/m³. |
| Distances | Anchorage to Chittagong lighthouse: 3–8 nautical miles (radius of 5.6 NM). Kutubdia Anchorage: 32 NM from the Chittagong lighthouse (no draft or LOA limitations). |
| Kutubdia Anchorage | For vessels over 11.50 m fresh-water (FW) draft. No LOA, beam or air-draft restrictions. Lightening anchorage located 32 NM outside the Chittagong Port Limit. Tug boats / lighter vessels are used for transportation. |
Salinity
| Location | Monsoon Season (g/L) | Dry Season (g/L) |
|---|---|---|
| Sadarghat | Low water: 0.1 · High water: 0.2 | Low water: 2.5 · High water: 16.5 |
| Patenga | Low water: 0.15 · High water: 3.3 | Low water: 10 · High water: 27 |
Note: 1 g/L equals 1 gram per liter.
Weather Conditions
Stevedores, Working Hours & Cranes
| Location | Working Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stevedores, gangs and workers | 24 × 7 × 365 (except government holidays) | Operate continuously |
| Berth | 3 shifts divided equally over 24 hours | Shift-based operations |
| Anchorage | Continuous discharging | Except tea, lunch and dinner breaks |
Stevedore shifts: at anchorage — two shifts, A 0601–1800 hrs and B 1801–0600 hrs; at the jetty — three shifts, A 0801–1600 hrs, B 1601–2400 hrs and C 0001–0800 hrs. On government holidays stevedores work at double pay.
Holidays: general holidays do not apply, but government holidays are observed.
Lighter Availability and Crane Capacity
Lighter availability: lighters are generally available, though shortages can occur at peak times — we recommend booking barges in advance.
| Location / Type | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chittagong and Mongla port cranes | Below 2 metric tons | Limited capacity |
| Vessel cranes | Variable | Maximum cargo discharged via vessel cranes |
| Port cranes | Up to 2 metric tons (incl. grabs) | Used for bagged cargo (50 kg bags) |
Common Difficulties
- Consignees often delay clearing customs dues/duties, causing vessel waiting time.
- Limited availability of lighters, barges and trucks.
- Rainy season disruptions.
- Poor consignee warehousing capacity, leading to slow cargo reception.
Documentation & Customs
General Ship Documentation
- Ship’s Register / Nationality Certificate
- International Load Line Certificate
- Safety Equipment Certificate with Form E
- Safety Radio Telegraphy Certificate with Form R
- Last Port Clearance
- International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate with Form A
- Safety Radio Telegraphy Equipment and Construction Certificate
- Cargo Gear Register and relative inspection certificate
- Ship Station License / Mobile License
- O.C. (Original Certificate)
Safety and Operational Documentation
- SMC (Safety Management Certificate)
- Continuous Synopsis Record (CSR)
- International Ship Security Certificate
- Last Port State Control inspection report
- Annual testing report of satellite EPIRB
- Safe Manning Certificate
- Officers’ competency certificates as per safe manning (COC, COR, GMDSS)
- Deck and engine rating certificates as per safe manning
- Stability plan (container)
- Loading bay profile
Customs Formalities
- Crew list (15 copies)
- Declaration of crew members’ personal effects, foreign currency and valuable goods
- Ship’s store declaration (deck and engine, steward/provisions, bonded stores, narcotics, general, bunker position)
Tax: no freight tax is added — only central bank tax on the agency fee, as mentioned in the DA.
Vessel Operations
Vessel Arriving Information
- Incoming vessels proceed from Kutubdia to Alpha Anchorage (Chittagong Outer Anchorage) following BA chart no. 84 and the current Admiralty Tide Tables (ATT).
- Contact port control on VHF channel 12/16 while proceeding.
- Arrive at Alpha Anchorage at high tide.
- Start from Kutubdia approximately 3 hours before high water at Alpha Anchorage.
Discharging Rate
Approximately 3,000 to 5,000 MT per day, depending on transport availability (lighter/barge/truck), the nature and type of cargo, and prevailing weather and sea conditions.
Congestion
The port is currently not congested. Thanks to our good relations with the port and customs, immediate berthing can be arranged for our clients’ vessels.
Silo Jetty Details
- Only one berth for discharging government food cargo
- Permissible LOA: 190 m
- Beam: no restriction
- Air draft: 52 m
- Draft: 9.15 m (subject to the day’s permissible inward FW draft)
Dry Dock Jetty
- Permitted for discharging stone cargo only.
- No other general or container jetty may discharge stone cargo.
- Draft 8.55 m and LOA 190.0 m.
Other Operational Information
- Vessel cranes may discharge cargo.
- Chittagong is a tidal port.
- Discharging may be stopped during rain.
- Port authorities allow 1–2 scrap-carrying vessels at the jetty at a time.
Distances
| Route | Distance |
|---|---|
| Anchorage – Dry Dock | 3.50 NM |
| Anchorage – Matarbari Jetty | ~32 NM (draft at Matarbari Jetty: 8 m, not confirmed by port authority) |
| Anchorage – Kanchan Jetty, Dhaka | ~250 NM |
| Anchorage – Ghazipur | ~300 NM |
Availability & Services
- Bunkers: IFO 180 / 380 CST and MGO available
- Fresh water supply — by barge at outer anchorage and by pipeline at the jetty
- Fresh provisions and all kinds of stores (deck / engine / saloon / cabin), including spare parts and machinery
- Repairs, class workshop (GL, BV, RINA, NK), hot-work permit and dry dock
- Experienced engineers for overhauling main/auxiliary engines, engine tuning, generators and compressors
- Sludge, garbage, oily water and slop disposal and cleaning, with certificate
- Grabs available with the stevedores
- Crew change (sign on/off), ship chandling, bunker and lube oil supply
- On/off-hire bunker and condition surveys, discharge supervision
Local Pilotage
We recommend local pilotage for drafts over 9.5 m from Kutubdia anchorage to Chittagong outer anchorage A/B/C.
Fenders
In the monsoon season we recommend hiring Yokohama fenders to avoid damage while discharging at anchorage.
Draft Survey
To avoid disputes, we recommend appointing a draft surveyor on behalf of the supplier / charterer / owner.
Port Working Hours
24 × 7 × 365 days, except government holidays.
Economic Impact & Outlook
Annual Volume
3.1M TEUs (2023), contributing about 2.5% of Bangladesh’s GDP.
Employment
150,000+ jobs in logistics, customs and stevedoring.
Main imports: food grain, cement clinker, sugar, fertilizer, general cargo, iron materials, cotton, chemicals, coal, edible oil, POL and more.
Main exports: ready-made garments (RMG), knitwear, fertilizer, jute and jute products, hides and skins, tea, light engineering products, pharmaceuticals, naphtha, molasses, frozen goods and more.
Regional Competitors
| Port | Draft | TEUs (2023) | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chittagong | 9.5 m | 3.1M | Low tariffs, regional gateway |
| Mongla | 7.5 m | 500K | Proximity to Kolkata |
| Colombo | 18 m | 7.2M | Deep-sea transshipment |
Challenges & Mitigation
| Challenge | Solution | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Consignee delays | ASYCUDA pre-clearance | — |
| Lighter shortages | Book barges 72 hours ahead | Lighter hire: +880 1711 231941 |
| Monsoon disruptions | Yokohama fenders + tug assistance | CPA Operations: VHF channel 12 |
Sustainability & Innovation
- Green Port Policy: solar terminals and mangrove restoration.
- IMO 2020 compliance: 0.5% sulfur fuel.
- Future tech: blockchain cargo tracking and the Matarbari Deep Sea Port.
Need an agent at Chittagong Port?
Our support team is available 24/7 for port calls, husbandry and cargo operations.
