Exporters sweat over delays in box handling at Chittagong Port

FOREIGN buyers, including importers from Europe, have been complaining about the growing delays in container handling at the Port of Chittagong.

Some big importers are reported to have already asked their foreign suppliers to strictly follow the production schedules as the delivery of cargo through the port is taking an "unusually" long time.

The European market is the destination for more than 60 per cent the country's readymade garment shipments, which account for three-quarters of Bangladeshi export value.

The delays have been attributed to changes in cargo handling agents "who are causing hassles requiring more time for loading and unloading of containers. The government is going to appoint new and an adequate number of cargo handling agents at the port to keep the pace of rapid cargo handling," reports Bangladesh's New Nation newspaper.

It cited a local exporter as expressing concerns that his consignment will remain stuck at the port for 10 days whereas it used to take less than three days for shipment.

Meanwhile, a major European importer is said to have notified all its Bangladeshi suppliers to remain alert as growing delays in handling cargo at the port might delay shipments. The country head of a UK-based global retailer has mentioned the difficulties faced due to delays in delivery of containers through the inland container terminal in Dhaka, the report said.
(Source:www.schednet.com)