<p data-path-to-node="2" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-202" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="2" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">CHITTAGONG / WASHINGTON —</b><span class="citation-340 citation-end-340" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> The World Shipping Council (WSC) has formally submitted an urgent appeal to the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), calling for the immediate abolition of its long-standing practice of forcing outbound commercial vessels to load unmanifested empty containers on short notice.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="2" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-339 citation-end-339" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The global liner industry body warned that the mandatory "forced empty container loading" policy severely compromises ship stability, breaches international maritime safety protocols, and exposes ocean carriers to significant international sanctions risks.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="3" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><h4 data-path-to-node="3" style="font-family: "Google Sans", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b>Legal Conflict and Sanctions Exposure</b></h4><p data-path-to-node="4" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-203" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-338 citation-end-338" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">In an official communication addressed to CPA Chairman Rear Admiral S. M. Moniruzzaman, the WSC underscored that the policy—originally introduced as an ad-hoc emergency measure during acute yard congestion in 2007—is incompatible with modern international trade governance.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="4" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="5" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-204" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-337 citation-end-337" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The council emphasized that the continued practice conflicts directly with the Chittagong Port Authority Act, 2022, under which empty containers are legally classified as cargo.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="5" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-336 citation-end-336" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Consequently, the ship's master retains ultimate statutory authority over all loading decisions and holds the legal right to reject any box that cannot be stowed safely or in full regulatory compliance.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="6" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="6" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-205" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-335 citation-end-335" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Crucially, the WSC cited recent operational incidents where member vessels were compelled to accept unmanifested empty boxes shortly before departure.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="7" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-334 citation-end-334" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Such last-minute directives leave carriers with insufficient time to execute mandatory international sanctions screening, anti-smuggling verifications, and chain-of-custody documentation, creating severe legal liabilities under global trade enforcement regimes.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="8" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><h4 data-path-to-node="7" style="font-family: "Google Sans", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b>Operational Safety Risks and SOLAS Violations</b></h4><p data-path-to-node="8" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Beyond regulatory exposure, the council highlighted severe physical hazards associated with forced ad-hoc container movements:</p><ul data-path-to-node="9" style="padding-inline-start: 32px; font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,0,0" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-206" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,0,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Vessel Stability & SOLAS Integrity:</b><span class="citation-333 citation-end-333" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Late additions of unmanifested boxes disrupt pre-approved digital stowage plans and weight-distribution calculations required under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="9" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-332 citation-end-332" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Such disruptions threaten navigational stability, particularly for feeder ships operating on tight, high-density intra-Asian schedules.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="10" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,1,0" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-207" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-331" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></span><b data-path-to-node="9,1,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Tare Weight Discrepancies:</b><span class="citation-331 citation-end-331" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Containers declared as "empty" frequently contain unremoved dunnage, chemical residues, or structural equipment damage.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="11" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-330 citation-end-330" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">These factors lead to significant discrepancies between declared tare weights and actual physical weights, skewing stability assessments and increasing operational risks for vessel crews.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="12" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,2,0" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-208" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-329" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></span><b data-path-to-node="9,2,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Yard Congestion Bottlenecks:</b><span class="citation-329 citation-end-329" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Rather than solving land-side gridlocks, ad-hoc instructions create terminal bottlenecks, delaying the clearance of full container load (FCL) import cargo and impeding regional supply chain fluidity.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="13" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li></ul><h4 data-path-to-node="10" style="font-family: "Google Sans", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b>Industry Recommendations for a Standardized Framework</b></h4><p data-path-to-node="11" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-209" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-328 citation-end-328" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Acknowledging the operational challenges the Chittagong Port Authority faces in managing yard capacity, the WSC, alongside the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA), urged port officials to replace emergency directives with a transparent, predictable, and standardized empty-container management framework.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="14" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="12" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">The WSC presented a three-tier reform proposal to the CPA, the Ministry of Shipping, and the National Board of Revenue (NBR):</p><ol start="1" data-path-to-node="13" style="padding-inline-start: 32px; font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="13,0,0" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-210" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-327" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></span><b data-path-to-node="13,0,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Digital Advance Planning System:</b><span class="citation-327 citation-end-327" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Implement an automated allocation protocol where empty container boxes are assigned to pre-approved outbound vessels well ahead of berthing, allowing carriers adequate time for sanctions clearance and digital stowage planning.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="15" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="13,1,0" id="p-rc_3d544592cc062dcf-211" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-326" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></span><b data-path-to-node="13,1,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Repositioning Quota Framework:</b><span class="citation-326 citation-end-326" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Establish a transparent, quota-based empty-container repositioning schedule to regulate yard clearing without resorting to emergency loading orders.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2333486709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2333486709="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="16" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1165537504="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1165537504="" _nghost-ng-c642716104="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="13,2,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="13,2,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Joint Technical Stakeholder Workshop:</b> Convene a collaborative operational workshop involving the CPA, BSAA, and international MLOs (Main Line Operators) to codify enforceable port-wide container handling standards.</p></li></ol>
World Shipping Council Urges Action on Chittagong Empty Container Backlogs
The council emphasized that the continued practice conflicts directly with the Chittagong Port Authority Act, 2022, under which empty containers are legally classified as cargo. Consequently, the ship's master retains ultimate statutory authority over all loading decisions and holds the legal right to reject any box that cannot be stowed safely or in full regulatory compliance.
