C T Online Desk: Import container handling through the Chattogram port increased in September compared to the previous month, while export handling declined, according to the port’s monthly data.Compared to August, some 1,430 more TEUs of import cargo containers were handled at the Chattogram port,.whereas, the export container handling decreased by 7,692 TEUs during the same period.According to the Chattogram port data, around 1,06,505 TEUs of import cargo containers and 57,769 TEUs of export cargo containers were handled in September.
Traders and port officials said due to the economic slowdown stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation with imports and exports has yet to normalise.
Mentioning that while imports are rising, exports are dropping since January this year, the officials said the global factors in turn have reduced the volume of containers handled at the port.
In September this year, import container handling increased by 5,012 TEUs, compared to the corresponding month of 2022, while the volume of exports dropped by 6,034 TEUs.
Abdullah Jahir, deputy country manager of the PSA Marine Bangladesh, told that foreign buyers’ demand for ready-made garments has dropped due to the global economic crises. “Because of this basically, the import and export container handling is not yet normal. The restrictions on the opening of LCs have now been somewhat relaxed as the dollar crisis has eased,” he added.Earlier in September, import and export container handling declined by about 15.4% in the eight months from January to August 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year, according to Chattogram port data.The volume of import containers handled at the port dropped by 15.20% or around 1.45 TEUs in the first eight months of 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
