<p data-path-to-node="2"><b data-path-to-node="2" data-index-in-node="0">CHITTAGONG</b> — To address persistent quayside yard congestion and streamline container flow across Bangladesh's primary maritime gateway, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has officially implemented mandatory 24/7 operating schedules and enforced designated nighttime clearance windows for import cargo. The operational directive requires customs house agents, freight forwarders, and drayage operators to utilize off-peak evening and midnight hours to transfer uncollected import containers out of primary port yards to private Inland Container Depots (ICDs).</p><h3 data-path-to-node="4"><b data-path-to-node="4" data-index-in-node="0">Addressing Terminal Yard Stacking Densities</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="5">In recent weeks, stacking densities at Chittagong Port’s main container terminals—including the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT)—approached critical capacity thresholds. Aggregated line-haul delays, heavy seasonal import arrivals, and daytime city traffic restrictions surrounding the port area had significantly slowed container movement out of quayside yards.</p><p data-path-to-node="6">Under the newly enforced CPA framework:</p><ul data-path-to-node="7"><li><p data-path-to-node="7,0,0"><b data-path-to-node="7,0,0" data-index-in-node="0">Dedicated Nighttime Delivery Shifts:</b> Importers and C&amp;F (Clearing and Forwarding) agents must process and evacuate import boxes during a newly established nighttime window running from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="7,1,0"><b data-path-to-node="7,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">Relocation to Private Off-Docks:</b> The National Board of Revenue (NBR) and CPA have expanded the list of import commodities permitted for direct off-dock transfer to private ICDs, increasing the off-dock handling share to 25% of total imported container volume.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="7,2,0"><b data-path-to-node="7,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Reduction of Outer Anchorage Waiting Times:</b> By freeing up quayside yard space, ship-to-shore crane productivity has improved, allowing feeder vessels waiting at outer anchorages to secure active discharge berths up to 30% faster.</p></li></ul><h3 data-path-to-node="9"><b data-path-to-node="9" data-index-in-node="0">Protecting Bangladesh's Apparel Export Backbone</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="10">The CPA's aggressive yard clearing drive arrives at a crucial juncture for Bangladesh's Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry. Apparel manufacturers relying on imported raw materials—such as fabrics, yarn, dyes, and specialized accessories—had faced production line delays due to extended container dwell times at the port.</p><p data-path-to-node="11">"Maintaining quayside fluidity at Chittagong is non-negotiable for the country's trade health," stated a senior official at the Chittagong Port Authority. "Enforcing nighttime clearance windows distributes traffic evenly across the 24-hour cycle, eliminates daytime road bottlenecks, and ensures that export-oriented raw materials reach factory floors without delay".</p><h3 data-path-to-node="13"><b data-path-to-node="13" data-index-in-node="0">ICD Capacity and Stakeholder Coordination</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="14">The Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), representing 19 operational private ICDs in the Chittagong region, confirmed that off-dock facilities have expanded their technical handling shifts and equipment deployment to support the nighttime volume influx. The off-docks currently manage an aggregate storage capacity of over 100,000 TEUs, providing a critical buffer to absorb diverted import containers and keep port quays clear.</p><p data-path-to-node="15">Trade bodies, including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and local logistics associations, have welcomed the continuous operational schedule, noting that nighttime customs clearance and drayage transport will significantly reduce total logistics overheads for subcontinental trade corridors.</p>