The speed at which containers leave a port after being unloaded from vessels is widely regarded as one of the key international indicators of a port’s efficiency. But an examination of the revenue structure of Chittagong Port reveals a different picture. Following the implementation of the new tariff schedule, the port now earns an average of $152 per TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) container. Nearly one-quarter of this income comes from storage rent, charged for containers remaining at the port for extended periods. An indicator that is globally considered a sign of inefficiency has consequently become a major source of revenue for Chittagong Port. Stakeholders believe this reflects the long-standing structural limitations of the port and customs systems.
Storage rent has become the port’s second-largest source of revenue, according to an analysis of revenue generated from cargo and container handling operations between December 2025 and April this year. During these five months, the port earned an average of $34.25 per TEU from storage rent, accounting for 22.52 percent of its total operating revenue. In other words, the longer containers remained within the port premises, the greater the revenue generated from storage charges.
The largest source of revenue, meanwhile, was container loading and discharging operations using ship cranes. This segment generated an average of $71.68 per TEU, representing 47 percent of the port’s total revenue.
The port also earned an average of $17.91 per TEU from Quay Gantry Crane (QGC) charges, accounting for nearly 12 percent of total revenue. Lift-on and lift-off operations generated an average of $9.43 per TEU, representing 6.20 percent of total revenue. Other sources of income included extra movement charges, wharf rent, hosting charges, and stuffing and unstuffing services.
The analysis considers only revenue generated from operational activities, such as cargo and container handling services. Non-operating income, such as bank interest on fixed deposits (FDRs), rental income from land and facilities, or returns from other investments, has not been included. Terminal operators at the port primarily collect these charges for loading and unloading cargo or containers, as well as for storing them in port yards for the designated period.
Former Member (Administration and Planning) of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), Md Zafar Alam, told Bonik Barta, “Generating a significant portion of revenue from storage rent is by no means acceptable; it reflects inefficiencies in both the port and the broader supply chain. It’s also unreasonable to classify such earnings as operating revenue. The reasons why 30,000–40,000 containers remain inside the port for extended periods should be thoroughly investigated. In this regard, the roles and responsibilities of customs authorities, importers, the port authority, and other stakeholders must also be identified.”
He added, “Under normal circumstances, containers should be cleared within three days of arriving at the port. In reality, however, a container remains at the port for more than a week on average. While delays in customs procedures are one reason, some importers are also not interested in speedy clearance because storage costs at the port are relatively low. Vessels no longer have to wait for berths now. The question, therefore, is why containers continue to remain in the yard for such long periods. With the use of modern technology, the causes of these delays can be identified easily. Reducing container dwell time would significantly enhance the port’s actual capacity.”
The time between the unloading of a container from a vessel and the completion of cargo clearance, commonly referred to as dwell time, is one of the most important indicators of a port’s performance. The average dwell time for a container at Chattogram Port is currently nine and a half days, according to a presentation by port officials to the shipping minister.
The presentation noted that, in most cases, customs clearance accounts for the largest share of this period. Efforts to accelerate container clearance, such as customs pre-assessment — determining potential duties and taxes before importation or before the submission of the bill of entry — have yet to become visible in practice. The scope of the green channel also remains limited.
The presentation also pointed to procedural delays by other relevant agencies, as well as the tendency of some importers to keep containers within the port and clear them at a more convenient time, as factors contributing to prolonged dwell times.
Once customs clearance has been completed, Chittagong Port is capable of completing the delivery formalities for cargo containers within an average of just 12 hours.
CPA Acting Secretary, Md Nasir Uddin, told Bonik Barta, “To keep port operations running efficiently, the port authority sends letters to the customs authorities every month. If containers can be removed from the port within the stipulated timeframe, yard space will remain available, allowing operational activities to be carried out more quickly. This issue is directly linked to the port’s capacity. The process of delivering imported goods to importers involves multiple agencies. Ensuring faster container delivery improves the efficient use of port space and accelerates overall operations.”
Referring to some importers’ tendency to keep their goods at the port for convenience, he added, “After containers are unloaded from vessels, the port authority often increases storage rent to encourage importers to take delivery within the prescribed period. The additional financial burden is intended to motivate importers to clear their goods on time.”
Germany-based Hamburg Port Consulting prepared the latest master plan for CPA. According to its analysis, the most effective way to increase the port’s capacity is to reduce container dwell time. A container remains at Chittagong Port for more than a week on average, the consultancy estimates. Reducing this period would free up yard space more quickly, enabling the port to significantly improve operational efficiency and container-handling capacity using the same infrastructure.
The master plan projected CPA’s annual handling capacity at 2.7 million TEUs. Subsequently, with the addition of the Patenga Container Terminal, capacity increased to approximately 3.15 million TEUs. In practice, however, the port is already handling more than 3.4 million TEUs annually. This performance is being achieved largely by placing additional pressure on existing infrastructure and equipment, an approach that is not sustainable in the long term, according to Hamburg Port Consulting.
Business stakeholders believe that the time required for clearing imported goods at the port remains significantly higher than international standards. The cargo clearance process depends on coordinated efforts among customs authorities, laboratories, shipping agents, C&F agents, and importers. While the prolonged stay of containers at the port is often cited as justification for appointing large-scale or foreign terminal operators, delays in customs procedures and other structural constraints receive comparatively less attention. Improving port efficiency requires not only infrastructure development but also reforms in the customs system and measures to ensure faster cargo clearance, according to stakeholders.
Chairman of Meghna Group of Industries (MGI), Mostafa Kamal, told Bonik Barta, “The effectiveness of a port isn’t limited to the efficiency of terminal operators or the loading and unloading of containers from ships. The extent to which the business sector and consumers benefit depends on how quickly imported goods are cleared and delivered to traders. While high-quality terminal operators are necessary for port management, modernising and accelerating customs procedures is even more important. Ensuring the speed of administrative processes, alongside operational capacity, is essential for efficient port management.”
At Chittagong Port, storage rent charges for containers depend on the size of the container (20-foot or 40-foot) and the length of time it remains at the port. The port provides a four-day grace period for cargo clearance. No storage rent is charged if a container is delivered within this period. Afterwards, charges are applied according to the standard slab rates.
To obtain comments regarding customs management at the port, Bonik Barta contacted the Chattogram Customs House. A senior official of the organisation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “The process of clearing goods from the port involves multiple stakeholders. Responsibility for delays in the overall process can’t be attributed solely to customs. On average, customs formalities account for only about 8.5 percent of the total time required to clear a container. The other stakeholders’ activities consumed a significant portion of the remaining time.”
President of the Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Amirul Haque, told Bonik Barta, “A port isn’t a place where containers should remain for days on end. Industrial importers often have to wait several days to receive laboratory reports on product samples. During this time, the relevant containers remain at the port. More than half of imported containers are still opened and unloaded within the port premises, a practice that’s highly uncommon in international port operations. These factors play a major role in prolonging container dwell times at the port.”