<p data-path-to-node="2"><b data-path-to-node="2" data-index-in-node="0">CHATTOGRAM</b> — In an aggressive regulatory intervention to protect terminal velocity ahead of the critical fourth-quarter global shipping push, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), in executive coordination with the Chittagong Custom House and the National Board of Revenue (NBR), has enforced mandatory daily off-dock container evacuation quotas across all primary terminal operators, freight forwarders, and shipping agents.</p><p data-path-to-node="3">The emergency operational circular establishes strict transfer schedules designed to relieve chronic spatial compression across the seaport’s primary waterfront container facilities, including the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT), Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT), and Patenga Container Terminal (PCT). Under the updated rules, imported Full Container Load (FCL) consignments, designated industrial raw materials, and empty boxes exceeding a strict 72-hour dwell threshold must be immediately evacuated from waterfront container yards and transferred into licensed private Inland Container Depots (ICDs) across the Patenga and Faujdarhat industrial corridors.</p><p data-path-to-node="4">The administrative action follows a sharp rise in container stacking densities across Chattogram’s waterfront storage blocks, which recently pushed past the critical 85% operational safety threshold. Terminal operational logs indicated that the accumulation was driven by a confluence of front-loaded industrial import arrivals, customs appraisal delays, and commercial consignees using waterfront quays as temporary storage buffers to avoid inland transport costs.</p><p data-path-to-node="5">When yard stacking densities breach the 85% mark, ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes and rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes are forced into non-productive container reshuffling to unearth target boxes. This operational friction degrades gross crane moves per hour, elongates vessel port stays, and forces incoming common feeder vessels operating high-frequency loops to Colombo, Singapore, and Port Klang into multi-day anchor waiting queues at the Karnaphuli River outer anchorages.</p><p data-path-to-node="6">Under the enforceable off-dock quota mechanism:</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">The 72-Hour Evacuation Window:</b> Import containers and empty boxes that remain un-cleared at terminal quaysides 72 hours post-discharge will be automatically flagged by the port's central Terminal Operating System (TOS) and assigned to mandatory off-dock drayage manifests.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="7,1,0"><b data-path-to-node="7,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">Daily Off-Dock Transfer Quotas:</b> Mainline ocean carriers and licensed clearing and forwarding (C&amp;F) agents are assigned mandatory daily volumetric evacuation targets. Shippers who fail to meet assigned daily transfer volumes will face automatic holds on outward shipping bill generation and escalating daily port demurrage penalties.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="7,2,0"><b data-path-to-node="7,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Expanded Private ICD Clearing List:</b> To ensure sufficient landside capacity to absorb the diverted boxes, the NBR has expanded the statutory list of import commodities permitted for complete inland customs examination and delivery at private off-docks. The off-dock sector, represented by 19 private ICD facilities with a cumulative storage capacity exceeding 105,000 TEUs, will now handle an expanded share of containerized raw materials, consumer goods, and empty equipment.</p></li></ul><p data-path-to-node="8">The operational timing of the quota mandate is critical for Bangladesh’s core export driver: the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector. Sourcing mills and manufacturing clusters across Gazipur, Savar, Narayanganj, and the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) operate on rigid delivery schedules to supply major international retailers in Western Europe and North America ahead of the autumn and winter holiday peaks.</p><p data-path-to-node="9">By clearing quayside berths of stagnant import boxes, the CPA ensures that export-laden apparel containers staged at private off-docks can roll smoothly through harbor access gates directly under quay cranes without facing highway trailer congestion or missing feeder berthing cut-offs.</p><p data-path-to-node="10">Senior administrative leadership at the Chittagong Port Authority emphasized that waterfront container terminals must function strictly as dynamic transit corridors rather than indefinite storage yards. The mandatory off-dock quotas ensure that terminal aprons maintain the required maneuvering space to support rapid vessel discharge and loading cycles, keeping feeder schedules aligned with long-haul mother vessels at regional transshipment hubs.</p><p data-path-to-node="11">CPA operations coordinators confirmed that real-time gate telemetry and electronic seal scanning networks connecting private ICDs with harbor gates have been calibrated to handle round-the-clock off-dock transfers, with compliance monitoring enforced immediately.</p>