The Bangladeshi government is considering plans to introduce a Container Management System at ports and terminals country-wide in a bid to keep up with growing container traffic.
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) will carry out studies before filing a report for the government’s consideration as to whether implementation would be beneficial for other ports in the country.
The systems would be employed as a means to significantly help online maintenance of all operational activities.
Whilst attempts have been made to integrate a Container Terminal Managment (CTMS) system at Chittagong Port since December 2011, the operation has suffered a series of setbacks and is yet to be fully completed.
However, at a recent meeting with the shipping ministry, the project director involved with the instillation said that the system was being re-examined, corrected, and that full functionality would soon be available.
Project contractors, ST Electronics, local representatives of Datasoft Systems Bangladesh, have stated that when successful, the system will allow for online maintenance of all operational activities including; loading and unloading of container vessels, movement of containers within the shipping yard, alongside stacking, tracking, delivery and gate control.
The plans to digitalise services come at a time of growth for the Bangladeshi shipping industry.
A senior shipping official, speaking to the Financial Express spoke of the countries increased import and export traffic.
If neighbouring countries were to open transit and transhipment facilities this work load is only expected to increase further.
As such, he continued, ports must be digitalised in order to provide faster handling and avoid any congestion associated with manual operations.
Automation of the Bangladeshi shipping industry is expected to double container capacity of all ports, and help them stand out in a globally competitive marketplace.
