DP World Takes Chittagong Port Terminal Helm Under 15-Year Concession

Bangladesh's main trade gateway marked a turning point in October 2026 as UAE-headquartered operator DP World secured a 15-year concession to manage the New Mooring Container Terminal at Chittagong Port under a public-private partnership with the Chittagong Port Authority. The deal, tracing its roots to a 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between Dubai and Dhaka, drew broad attention from trade and logistics observers. While port and infrastructure circles welcomed the investment, a prominent op-ed in Prothom Alo raised pointed questions about whether a deal of this scale should have gone before parliament, and maritime safety drew separate scrutiny after two ship collisions were reported near the port on the same day.

🏢 DP World and Chittagong Port Authority Sign 15-Year Terminal Concession

UAE-headquartered port and logistics operator DP World and the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) signed a 15-year concession agreement for the operation and maintenance of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT), including the Overflow Container Yard (NCT OCY), under a public-private partnership framework. The terminal's ownership remains entirely with the Chittagong Port Authority, while DP World assumes operational and maintenance responsibility for the duration of the agreement. The concession traces its origins to a 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the government of Dubai and Bangladesh's Public-Private Partnership Authority under the prime minister's office, aimed at advancing strategic infrastructure development through public-private partnership initiatives across the country. Under its development plan, DP World will invest in upgrades to the terminal's civil and equipment infrastructure and deploy digital solutions designed to improve cargo handling efficiency in support of growing trade volumes. The key operational areas assigned to DP World under the concession include berth planning, yard management, equipment utilization, preventive maintenance, safety protocols, and sustainability performance. Working closely with the CPA, DP World is expected to strengthen the terminal's position as the primary container gateway servicing Bangladesh's export-driven economy, particularly its dominant ready-made garments sector. [2]

🗳️ Op-Ed Challenges Democratic Process Behind DP World Port Lease

Writing in Prothom Alo English, commentator MM Khalequzzaman raised pointed governance questions about the DP World concession, drawing on the concept of the 'resource curse'—the economic and political pattern in which a country possessing abundant national assets fails to convert them into broad development gains and instead drifts into stagnation, institutional weakness, and corruption, a phenomenon scholars call the 'paradox of plenty.' Khalequzzaman asked whether Bangladesh risks experiencing a similar paradox in relation to Chittagong Port, the country's primary trade gateway handling the overwhelming share of its export and import cargo. His central argument was that while arguments exist in favour of engaging a foreign operator for the terminal, the decision to entrust a particular company with a long-term operating concession over such a strategically vital national asset carries implications that warranted open parliamentary debate. The op-ed called for greater democratic accountability in how Bangladesh handles major infrastructure decisions of this magnitude, arguing that bypassing legislative scrutiny sets a troubling precedent for future public-private deals affecting critical state assets. The piece was published on 22 October 2026 and attracted significant readership given the broader public interest in the port deal. [8]

Two Vessel Collisions Reported Near Chittagong on the Same Day

Maritime safety near Chittagong came into focus after two separate vessel collisions were reported off Bangladesh's coast on the same day in late September 2026. According to Baird Maritime, the bulk carriers HG Sydney and APJ Shirin collided near Bangladesh's Kutubdia anchorage on Tuesday, September 29. The Chittagong Port Authority characterised the contact between those two bulk carriers as minor, while the owner of a third vessel involved in a separate collision at Chittagong Port's outer anchorage that same morning alleged extensive damage to that ship. Damage surveys were expected to determine the full extent of the harm. The dual incident on a single day drew attention to the vessel traffic pressures near Chittagong Port, where steady cargo volumes connected to Bangladesh's garment and commodity trade maintain high anchorage utilisation. The incidents occurred against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny of the port following the announcement of the DP World management concession, adding to a busy month for maritime and trade news from Bangladesh's main commercial and industrial city. The New Mooring Container Terminal, depicted in Baird Maritime's coverage of the story, sits at the centre of the port's container operations. [6]

Sources: [2] Shipping Telegraph · [8] Prothom Alo English · [6] Baird Maritime