Mongla Port, the country’s second-largest seaport, has witnessed a surge in activity and has become a key gateway for garment exports and imports, thanks to the enhanced connectivity provided by the Padma Bridge.
This development has opened up new opportunities for Bangladesh’s largest export-earning sector, the apparel industry, which previously relied heavily on the Chattogram port.
On 27 July 2022, Swedish fashion giant H&M took the initiative to ship goods from Mongla port through the Padma Bridge, aiming to reduce lead time, as reported by industry insiders and buyers eager to capitalise on the time and cost savings.
H&M Group successfully shipped 50 TEUs of containers through Mongla port to various destinations last year. They plan to continue utilising this route in the future, provided that the government establishes container freight stations (CFS) to support its potential.
Notably, the Maersk Nesna, a vessel flying the Panamanian flag, departed from the port on 27 July last year, carrying 17 containers filled with ready-made garments from 27 factories located in Dhaka and its surrounding areas, bound for Poland.
Among the exporters, Team Group, a garment manufacturer, shipped 500,000 pieces of apparel through Mongla port.
The opening of the Padma Bridge and the subsequent increase in export-import trade through Mongla port will reduce dependency on a single port, leading to reduced lead time, he observed.
On 6 June, products manufactured by 10 garment factories in Dhaka departed from Mongla port for export to Poland aboard the commercial ship MV Marks Kinjo, which carries the flag of Singapore.
Over the course of a year, a substantial volume of ready-made garments was exported through Mongla port via five ships. Additionally, there has been a 15% increase in the arrival of container ships.
In fiscal 2021-22, 45 container ships arrived at the port, and this number has already reached 52 in the current year.
According to Mongla port (traffic) officials, garment exporters based in Dhaka and its surrounding areas are now increasingly utilising Mongla port due to its proximity to Dhaka, which is only 170 kilometres away compared to 260 kilometres to Chattogram.
Despite these positive developments, businesses have emphasised the need to increase the port’s capacity, particularly in terms of container handling.
They have urged authorities to construct container freight stations and dredge the port channel to accommodate larger vessels. Furthermore, retailers require more frequent direct vessel operations from the port to efficiently ship their goods to Europe and other destinations.
Currently, there are 11 LPG factories, 5 cement factories, and 10 industrial factories of various types in the port area. Additionally, an economic zone has been established on 258 acres of land near the port.
Padma Bridge has significantly increased the port’s activities, resulting in a rise in the arrivals and departures of foreign ships, he concluded.
