Deal Signed and State Keeps Ownership
Bangladesh has signed a deal with DP World to operate the New Mooring Container Terminal for 15 years, with the state retaining ownership. The government says the deal brings fresh investment, faster cargo handling and strong oversight.
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In a Nutshell
- Bangladesh signed the 15-year operational concession for NCT with DP World on 8 October 2026.
- The land, core infrastructure and assets stay with the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA). Security, customs and immigration remain under government control.
- Bangladesh gets an upfront fee of about Tk 600 crore, and DP World will invest over Tk 1,000 crore in the first 10 years.
- CPA will receive 40–67% of revenue per container (TEU), plus a fixed fee of about Tk 10 crore a year. The contract guarantees at least 1.23 million TEU a year.
- DP World takes over a terminal where containers stay 9.4 days on average. Top regional ports clear them in under three days.
- A DP World delegation led by board chairman Essa Kazim met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman the same day.
- They discussed the NCT deal, and the prime minister asked about the company’s interest in free trade zones, rail-based inland container depots and new investment. The delegation expressed interest.
Context
NCT handles about 44% of Chattogram Port's container traffic, making it central to the country's supply chain. Chattogram ranks 364th in the CPPI 2025. Salalah ranks 3rd, Cai Mep 11th, Singapore's PSA 21st and India's Jawaharlal Nehru Port 22nd. DP World runs more than 80 terminals in over 40 countries, and about 10% of global container movement passes through its network. The process ran for more than three years, from in-principle approval in March 2023 to final CCEA approval on 1 October 2026.
Why It Matters
Port inefficiency costs the country an estimated Tk 3,000 crore a year. Cutting one day from container stays could lift exports by about 7.4%, according to the World Bank figure cited in the factsheet. DP World is funding the investment, so Bangladesh takes on no new loans for the terminal. The contract sets performance targets for truck turnaround and crane productivity, with financial penalties for repeated misses. CPA keeps audit rights and receives regular reports. Existing workers will be absorbed into the new system and given training.
What We Think
For exporters, time at the port is money. Faster clearance can mean quicker deliveries and lower costs.
The structure also protects the public interest. The state retains its assets and controls security, while CPA receives guaranteed revenue. The operator takes the investment risk and must meet performance targets.
Digital, paperless operations will add transparency, and more competition among operators will give the country stronger bargaining power.