Matarbari Port

The initiative to build a deep-seaport in Bangladesh was taken in 2009. In 2009, Pacific Consultants International of Japan visited nine potential sites and submitted a survey report recommending the construction of a deep-seaport at Sonadia. As a result, Sonadia island in Cox's Bazar was proposed as the site for setting up the first deep-seaport in Bangladesh. The Government of Bangladesh approved the Sonadia Island deep-seaport project in 2012, and the first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2016. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approved the construction of the Matarbari port on March 10, 2020. The cost of this project, including ports and connecting roads, is estimated at ৳177.77 billions, of which ৳128.93 billions is collected from Japan as a loan, and the Government of Bangladesh agreed to provide ৳26.71 billions and Chittagong Port Authority ৳22.13 billions. After the approval, design work on the terminal began in July 2020. After the finalization of the design, tenders are issued and notified, and in the tender, two companies jointly led by Pentawashen Construction Company Limited submitted a tender. The shipping channel was handed over to the Chittagong Port Authority on 20 September 2023. On 11 November 2023, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the channel and laid the foundation stone of the construction of the terminal. On 25 April 2023, a vessel named Ausu Maro with a length of and a draft of berthed as the first coal carrier at the coal jetty of Matarbari power plant. The vessel was carrying 80,000 metric tonnes of coal for the Matarbari coal-fired power plant, and it was the largest cargo ship berthed at any port jetty in Bangladesh. ==Development==

Based on the Japanese ports of Kashima and Niigata, During the first stage, one long multipurpose terminal and one meter long container terminal is planned to be constructed by 2026. The navigation channel will be length with a maximum permissible draught of . In September 2020, Japan International Cooperation Agency won the contract for the consultancy services of Matarbari Port development project. Two contracts were signed by Roads and Highways Department (RHD) with Oriental Consultants Global Company Ltd and by Chittagong Port Authority with Nippon Koei. == Port details ==

Harbour and navigation channel The Matarbari port's harbour is an artificial harbour, protected by a sea wall along with a navigation channel. The prescribed water depth for the harbour is ; the maneuvering basin in the middle of the harbor is also deep. The port's navigation channel connects the deep water body of the Bay of Bengal to the harbour. It is 14.3 km (8.9 mi) long, and used for ship navigation in the port's harbour. The navigation channel has a depth of and a minimum width of , allowing ships with a draft of to enter and exit the harbour without tidal assistance. Tides of are observed in the harbour and navigation channel, and ships with drafts of 18 m (59 ft) are able to berth at the jetty with tidal support. Terminals The first phase of the port includes two terminals—a general cargo multipurpose terminal and a container terminal—with a quay (wharf) and an inner-bay for tug boats. The height of the deck of quay is above the water surface, and the total length is 760 meters. In the first phase of construction, the container terminal will be built on 20 hectares and will have a 460-meter long berth or part of quay. It will be able to accommodate 8,000 TEU vessels and will have an annual capacity of 6,00,000 to 1.1 million TEU. Later, the container terminal will be expanded, up to 70 hectares, with a berth, and have a 2.8 million TEU capacity. The multi-purpose terminal will be built on 12 hectares, have a berth, and be able to accommodate vessels with up to 70,000 dwt. The terminal will have an annual cargo handling capacity of 0.6 million tonnes of grain and 1,200 tonnes of steel products. ==See also==