The Saudi developer Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) is set to begin full-capacity operations at Bangladesh’s largest port in Chittagong in July, following the deployment of specialized machinery. The Patenga Container Terminal, operated by RSGT since June 2024 under a 22-year agreement with the Chittagong Port Authority, has now received four gantry cranes—the last major equipment needed to scale up its presence.
Full Capacity Operations Imminent
On Friday, the company brought the custom-built cranes, manufactured by Chinese firm SANY, to the site. Sayed Aref Sarwar, head of commercial and public affairs at RSGT Bangladesh, told Arab News: “We were given two years of preparation time—to equip the port facilities, complete all civil works, implement technology and develop human resources. The last two years were our soft operation period at the Patenga Container Terminal. Now, with the arrival of four gantry cranes on Friday evening, the final phase of equipment requirements has been completed.”
The cranes are designed to handle two 20-foot containers simultaneously, a first for any port in Bangladesh. They will operate with zero carbon emissions, running entirely on electrical energy. “These cranes are designed in such a way that they can handle two 20-foot containers at a time. This is the first of its kind in any port in Bangladesh and will be operated through fully green operations, meaning there will be no use of fossil fuels to run these cranes as the entire facility will run on electrical energy,” Sarwar explained.
Boosting Capacity and Workforce
RSGT currently handles 155,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent units) at the terminal. With the new equipment, the volume is expected to rise to 400,000 TEU this year, representing about 12 percent of total container operations at Chittagong Port. Next year, the terminal is projected to exceed 500,000 TEU, or 17 percent of the port’s traffic.
Chittagong Port is the main gateway for Bangladesh’s ocean cargo, handling approximately 3.41 million TEU last year, making it the busiest container port on the Bay of Bengal. RSGT is the first foreign company operating at Bangladeshi ports and has invested $170 million to modernize the facility to global standards. The permanent workforce currently stands at around 500 employees, with an additional 800 contract workers. All are Bangladeshi nationals, trained both locally and internationally. Sarwar noted that some employees have been sent to Saudi Arabia for training in port operations to address the shortage of globally skilled human resources in Bangladesh’s port industry.
Future Expansion and Operations
“Hopefully, we will start operating the new gantry cranes by mid-July. From that moment, we will run the port at full capacity. If needed, we will undertake further expansion of the facilities. At the moment, however, the equipment we have in place will be more than sufficient to handle the expected volume of containers,” Sarwar said.
