CHATTOGRAM: Chittagong seaport has ranked 64th in the world's 100 best container handling ports, upgraded by six notches from previous year. The key seaport of the country was the 70th in the list. In 2008, the port was the ranked 95th.

The Lloyd’s List, the most popular journal in the Maritime World, publishes this list on their website every year.

According to Lloyd's List, the Chattogram port has handled 2,903,996 teu (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) containers in 2018 which is 8.9% up from previous year. In 2017, the port handled 2,667,223 teu containers. 

Another healthy year of volume growth helped the port reach record throughput last year and put it on course to eclipse the 3m teu barrier in 2019, it said. 

As per the magazine, Chattogram benefited from manufacturers shifting production lines to Southeast Asia away from northern china.

On the other hand, Shanghai of China topped in the list with handling 42,010,200 teu containers which is 4.4% up from previous year. In 2017, it handled 40,233,000 teu containers. 

Four ports were dropped from the rankings this year, while San Antonio, Abu Dhabi and Buenos Aires were returned in the ranking, in addition to Chinese debutant Jiaxing.

Singapore Port holds the second position as usual. The third, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth positions are in Chinese ports. South Korea's Busan port came in the sixth position. The Middle East’s Dubai port is the 10th position.

Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Mohammad Omar Faruk told Banglanews that container handling of the Chattogram port will gradually increase if the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) and Bay-terminal which are under construction, go into operation. At that time, Chattogram will be far ahead in the list of the best 100 seaports in the world.

BDST: 1720 HRS, AUG 2, 2019
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