The Matarbari deep sea port is crucial for Bangladesh and surrounding countries to accommodate the loading and unloading of deep-draft vessels. The port has a depth of 16m, allowing vessels of the same draft to unload their cargo at the terminal. Currently, mother vessels unload cargo at feeder vessels in deep sea, which is then transported to the Chittagong port. The existing seaports in the country, Chattagram and Mongla, are unable to handle large containers and vessels, making the construction of a deep sea port necessary. The Chittagong port is limited to handling vessels no larger than 9.5 meters.

The Matarbari port will be modeled after the Japanese ports of Kashima and Niigata. It will be capable of accommodating 16-meter-draft vessels with a container capacity of 8,000 TEU, double the capacity of the Chittagong Port. The country’s premier port can currently handle vessels up to 190 meters long and 9.5 meters in draft, with a container capacity of 3,500-3,800 TEU.

The existing container handling is expected to increase from 5.7 million TEUs to 6.5 million TEUs, and the number of vessels is projected to reach 8,200. The majority of the funding for the project will come from Japan as a loan, with the Bangladesh government and the CPA covering the remaining costs. The project is expected to be completed by 2026.

The Matarbari deep sea port is necessary due to the limitations of other Bangladesh seaports, namely Chittagong and Mongla. It will increase the country’s cargo handling capacity cost-effectively and improve supply chain management in the surrounding areas.

The Matarbari port also has the potential to reconnect the Bay of Bengal with surrounding areas of Asia. The creation of sovereign states such as Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, and Srilanka has disrupted the sea link between these countries. The new conditions created by the Matarbari port could help to develop the global supply chain and value chain.

The development of the Matarbari port is expected to significantly enhance socio-economic growth in South Asia, particularly in the sub-region of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (BBIN). It will diversify communication and logistic infrastructures and make transit-cum-trans-shipment arrangements more viable and cost-effective. The project is expected to be completed by 2026, with funding from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).