by Priya Radünzel, SeaNewsEditor
Update: 08.08.2024
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement ceased its activities after the resignation of the prime minister on 5 August and the formation of a new interim government.
As a result, the country's army chief suspended the nationwide curfew and called on all government, semi-government and private institutions to reopen.
Kuehne+Nagel reports that operations at Chittagong (Chattogram) Port have resumed, but terminals remain congested due to a backlog of over 42600 TEU containers.
According to Sea Explorer, 15 vessels are currently waiting outside Chittagong (Chattogram) Port, and the 7-day average vessel waiting time is nearly 4 days.
Update: 05.08.2024
Kuehne+Nagel reports that the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced indefinite protests and movements nationwide on Sunday. Unfortunately, the movement activities have resulted in the loss of lives and property damage, and additional activities as part of their protest are to be expected.
The government has imposed a curfew from 6 p.m. on August 4 until further notice. Additionally, the next three days (Monday to Wednesday) have been declared national holidays, and all offices will remain closed. Mobile internet services have been disconnected, and only broadband is available, albeit with unstable connectivity.
Port operations at a critical level again
The port of Chittagong (Chattogram) is heavily congested. According to seaexplorer data, the current vessel waiting time remains at 3 - 4 days, but the number of waiting vessels at anchorage increased to 11 (total capacity 16,000 TEU). Currently, approximately 41,000 TEUs are lying inside the port. The port authorities are aware of the situation and are trying to keep operations as vibrant as possible.
Container Freight Stations (CFS) are also becoming more congested due to the backlog of cargo and the influx of pending shipments. They are experiencing difficulties, especially with ethernet-based communication and connectivity.
Kuehne+Nagel will continue to monitor the situation and keep customers informed of developments.
Update: 29.07.2024
Kuehne+Nagel reports the overall situation is improving day to day in Bangladesh.
While protesters have rolled back demonstrations, the government-enforced curfews remain in place.
The mobile network was restored on 28 July but is still limited, and broadband internet services are improving but not yet stable.
Shipping operations recovering
At the country's main container port, Chittagong (Chattogram), customs processing is improving after network recovery, speeding up container clearance.
Nevertheless, owing to limited internet availability and labour, the backlog of cargo resulting from the shutdowns is expected to take time to clear.
According to seaexplorer analytics, the number of vessels at anchor in Chittagong (Chattogram) has risen to eight this week. The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days, although carriers report waiting 4-5 days for a berth.
Furthermore, operations have resumed at the northern port of Mongla. Seaexplorer shows no vessels at anchor for this port and no increase in waiting times. Nevertheless, Kuehne+Nagel will monitor developments in Mongla closely.
On another positive note, productivity at Container Freight Stations (CFS) is improving despite internet challenges and curfew limitations.
Following the relaxation of the curfew for businesses, the government has extended business opening hours to between 09:00 and 15:00 local time.
The Kuehne+Nagel Bangladesh team are available at the office during reduced office hours and online to address urgent queries and concerns.
Kuehne+Nagel will continue to monitor the situation and keep customers informed of developments.
Original article: 26.07.2024
From July 24, the government of Bangladesh has lifted the curfew between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. allowing citizens to make essential purchases. Furthermore, internet services are being gradually restored.
Businesses are now permitted to re-open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
However, the Mongla Port network remains nonoperational, while systems at the port of Chittagong port and customs systems are up and running at reduced capacity because of network issues.
Chittagong is reported to be heavily congested, and vessels potentially face up to a 5-day wait. In addition, limited manpower is affecting container movements in the port.
CFSs are operational but with limited capacity. Container stuffing and unloading have resumed, but the lack of or reduced internet connections is slowing down productivity.
Kuehne+Nagel continues to monitor the situation, with the local team available during these reduced office hours and online.
The government of Bangladesh imposed the current curfew last week in response to the escalating protests in the country.
