China to help establish deep-sea port in Bangladesh

[Rage]

China to help establish deep-sea port in Bangladesh


Dhaka, April 1 (APP): China has agreed to implement Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s request to build much-awaited deep-sea port at Sonadia of southeastern Cox’s Bazar district in November-December this year, a senior official said Thursday.

The Shipping Ministry has taken the initiative to present the proposal on complete design and work area of the deep-sea port project in the next meeting of the cabinet.

Shipping Secretary Abdul Mannan Hawlader told newsmen in Dhaka Thursday, the deep-sea port project will include construction of infrastructures for the port and jetty, beck water, additional channels, export-import zones, system for communications with other ports, road, railway, power supply, gas connection, transit area, township and helipad.

This will require requisition of land and rehabilitation of the affected people.

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan said the Sonadia deep-sea port would be a regional port. It will expand Bangladesh’s trade with China, Myanmar, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

During her recent visit to Beijing, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussed with her Chinese counterpart on the construction of deep-sea port and got assurance of assistance.

The Minister said about 130 billion taka would be required to complete the first phase of the deep-sea port project. The government will give 30 percent of the fund while the rest would come from public-private partnership.

Shipping Ministry Joint Secretary Abdul Quddus said work on the first phase of construction would begin in 2010 and end in 2017.

He said expenditures for the second phase (2026-2035) has been estimated at 260 billion taka.

He said the deep-sea port would be constructed on 22,000 hectares of land at Sonadia of Kutubjom and Hoyanak union of Moheshkhali. Five international and four general cargo jetties would be constructed in the first phase.

The Joint Secretary said currently no ship more than nine meter deep can anchor at the Chittagong port. But 14-16 meter deep ships would be able to anchor at the deep-sea port.

AK Ahmed, coordinator of Pacific International of Japan that conducted feasibility study of the deep-sea port, said the Chittagong port now handle one million tons of containers.

After completion of the first phase, the deep-sea port would be able to handle 75 million containers.


http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99701&Itemid=2

----

Not sure about the credibility of the news source, since the news has not been published elsewhere. But discuss the strategic consequences, if any, for India of Chinese development of this sea port.

 

[gogbot]

Shipping Ministry Joint Secretary Abdul Quddus said work on the first phase of construction would begin in 2010 and end in 2017.

He said expenditures for the second phase (2026-2035) has been estimated at 260 billion taka.

That is a ridiculous time frame.

Let them build a port, all of them are in missile range.
We have deterrence .

 

[amoy]

The Joint Secretary said currently no ship more than nine meter deep can anchor at the Chittagong port. But 14-16 meter deep ships would be able to anchor at the deep-sea port.

AK Ahmed, coordinator of Pacific International of Japan that conducted feasibility study of the deep-sea port, said the Chittagong port now handle one million tons of containers.

After completion of the first phase, the deep-sea port would be able to handle 75 million containers.

Bangladesh need such a port expansion. As far as I know Chittagong Port is often congested blocking B 's imp/exp blood vein... There's hardly a 'strategic implication', but only that B wants to improve its infrastructure for trading and develops its economy.

Here in China we have DPA (Dubai Port Authority), PSA (Port of Singapore ) and other foreign investors (Maersk etc) engaged in such projects from Tianjin to Shenzhen. Meanwhile there're Chinese investors going overseas such as Whampoa, China Merchant, and Cosco in port development such as Piraeus (perhaps put off), or Panama. Just business as usual.