C T Online Desk: The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has suspended for one month the fourfold penal rent on storage of loaded import containers, termed as full container load (FCL), providing businesses with the opportunity to clear their goods without penalty.
FCL refers to a shipment in which a single shipper’s goods occupy an entire container.
In a circular issued on Tuesday, the CPA said the suspension would remain in effect from August 23 to September 22. The facility will not apply to empty containers.
On March 10 this year, the port authority imposed the higher rent on storage of FCL containers lying at the port and the Kamalapur Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Dhaka as a punitive measure, since an increased number of undelivered imported FCL containers severely disrupted the port’s operations.
Later, different business associations, including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, requested the CPA to reconsider the decision.
CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk said that, in response to appeals from the business bodies, the authority had put the penal rent on hold for a month to monitor whether yard congestion improves.
The CPA urged importers to take prompt delivery of containers to keep operations smooth and ensure uninterrupted services.
