Container handling at RSGT terminal hits record high

The Red-Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) Chittagong recorded its highest-ever monthly container throughput of 30,308 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) in February since Saudi operator RSGT International (RSGTI) began operations in June 2024.

Major equipment, such as ship-to-shore gantry cranes for the terminal, is being procured, so the terminal is not yet operating at full capacity and remains partially functional. However, officials said it has shown steady growth in container handling over recent months.

The Chittagong Port Authority fully funded and built the 32-acre terminal  -- previously known as Patenga Container Terminal -- near the Karnaphuli estuary at a cost of about Tk 1,230 crore. Construction finished in July 2022, but operations were delayed due to the late appointment of a foreign operator.

RSGTI was selected as the terminal’s operator in December 2023 under a 22-year “equip, operate and maintain” contract. Partial operations started in June 2024, initially handling only export containers.

For almost a year, the terminal was unable to handle imports as the National Board of Revenue (NBR) had not provided a scanner. RSGTI invested $3.5 million to install the scanner, allowing import container handling to begin in May 2025.

Officials said average monthly container volume remained below 5,000 TEUs during the first 11 months-- until April last year. After import operations started in May, throughput rose to over 16,000 TEUs and has continued to increase gradually.

Container handling improved further after the terminal received 14 hybrid rubber-tyred gantry cranes in October. All 14 cranes became fully operational in December 2025, boosting efficiency and capacity.

In January this year, throughput reached 24,722 TEUs, according to data from the terminal. It rose to 30,306 TEUs in February-- out of which 16,758 TEUs were import containers and 13,548 TEUs were export containers.

Syed Aref Sarwar, head of commercial and public affairs at RSGT Chittagong, said, “This milestone reflects the trust of our partners and the dedication of our team in delivering efficient, world-class terminal services.”

He added that the operator invested around $30 million last year to procure four modern ship-to-shore cranes from China-based SANY Marine Heavy Industry. They are being customised for the terminal and are expected to arrive by May this year.

Once the four cranes are installed, both volume growth and vessel performance are expected to improve further, Sarwar said.

He also stressed the need for full digitisation of customs procedures to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and strengthen the logistics ecosystem.

Khairul Alam Suzan, former vice president of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, said container handling and delivery activities at the terminal are at a satisfactory level given the current volume.

He added that the operator built a modern and spacious cargo shed at the terminal to store and handle less-than-container-load cargo, which has sped up operations.