When ready, the planned port would increase the country's annual container handling capacity to about 3.0 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) and bulk cargo to 100 million tonnes. At present the port can handle 37 million tons.
The government will bear 30 percent of the $2.14 billion project cost, with the rest coming in from domestic and external sources, said the official, who asked not to be quoted.
The port will also offer services to Nepal, Bhutan, southern China, Myanmar and the north-eastern region of India.
The official said mother vessels can also berth at the proposed port and it will cut trade costs of local businesses.
A Japanese consultancy has submitted a detailed study on the feasibility of deep-sea port in Bay of Bengal to ease growing cargo jam in Bangladesh's main Chittagong port, officials said.
The first phase of the port, to be completed by 2016, will have two harbours of nine 300-metre long jetties along with the required infrastructure and back-up facilities, the study said.
The second phase, to be completed by 2035, would see two more harbours with the same specifications. The port will have six harbours when the third phase is completed by 2055.
It will cost $8.70 billion to implement all three phases.
"It was our long demand to build a deep-sea port and it will not only reduce our business cost, rather will increase manifold our business volume with reasonable charges," said Mohammad Saiful Islam, chairman of the Western Marine Shipyard Limited. (Reuters)
