Maersk unit to develop and operate Chattogram Port’s Laldia terminal for 30 Years

In a major boost to Bangladesh’s port infrastructure, the interim government has approved an agreement with Netherlands-based APM Terminals BV—part of Danish shipping giant Maersk’s Transport and Logistics division—to design, finance, build, and operate the Laldia Container Terminal at Chattogram Port for the next 30 years under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The final contract is set to be signed next week, Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) Chief Executive Officer Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun announced at a press conference held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

As part of the deal, APM Terminals will provide approximately Tk250 crore as signing money. The company will serve solely as the terminal operator, while overall ownership and regulatory control will remain with the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).

The land for the project is currently undeveloped, and APM Terminals will build the entire facility from scratch—starting with the jetty and followed by terminal infrastructure, equipment, and operations.

Ownership of the terminal will remain with CPA, and after the 30-year concession period, the government will have the option to extend the term. If not extended, the operator will hand over all assets to the authorities.

The project will bring in an estimated investment of $550 million (around Tk6,700 crore) over the next three years, covering construction, equipment procurement, and associated development costs.

Under the revenue-sharing arrangement, the operator will pay the government $21 per TEU handled, rising to $23 if annual throughput exceeds 900,000 TEUs. Beyond that, the rate will reduce gradually based on higher volumes—an approach designed to ensure CPA does not incur losses while incentivising capacity growth.

The new terminal will be capable of accommodating vessels twice the size of those currently handled at the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT), enabling Chattogram Port to significantly expand its capacity and competitiveness.