APM Terminals Begins Construction of $550 Million Laldia Container Terminal

Star Business Report, Chattogram — APM Terminals, a subsidiary of Danish shipping giant AP Møller–Maersk, today began construction of the Laldia Container Terminal (LCT) in Chattogram's Patenga — raising hopes of greater efficiency in port services and marking a major milestone in Bangladesh's logistics infrastructure development.

The $550 million LCT project, which is expected to be operational in 2030, will handle one million TEUs of containers annually, adding nearly one-third to Bangladesh's current container-handling capacity. The project represents one of the largest single foreign direct investments in Bangladesh's port infrastructure sector.

🏛 Inauguration Ceremony

"This would open a new horizon in logistics and trade facilities and support the country's development," said Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury at the inauguration of construction of the greenfield project at Laldia Char, at the confluence of the Karnaphuli River in Patenga. The project would be a significant milestone in the country's journey towards a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, he added.

Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam also attended the event — signalling the cross-ministerial significance of the Laldia terminal project for Bangladesh's broader infrastructure development agenda.

💰 Project Structure: DBFOT Model

Under the public-private partnership, APM Terminals will develop and operate the facility under a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model. Key contractual features:

• 💰 Operate period: 30 years, with option to extend by 15 years
• 💰 Investment: 100 percent foreign investment
• 💰 Land area: 49.15 acres along the Karnaphuli River
• 💰 Capacity: ~1 million TEUs annually
• 💰 Operational date: 2030

🚢 Terminal Specifications

APM Terminals CEO Ramesh David said that once fully operational, the terminal would handle close to one million TEUs of containers annually. The facility will feature:

• 🚢 616-metre-long jetty
• 🚢 7 ship-to-shore cranes for vessel loading/unloading
• 🚢 32 electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes for yard operations
• 🚢 41 electric terminal tractors for container movement
• ⚡ Electric equipment for greener port operations

📊 Vessel Capacity Enhancement

CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman said the terminal would accommodate vessels carrying up to 6,000 TEUs — roughly double the capacity of ships that currently berth directly at Chattogram Port. The larger vessel capacity has strategic implications:

• 🚢 Reduced vessel waiting times at the country's premier seaport
• 🚢 Lower cargo turnaround times for export shipments
• 🚢 Direct berthing for larger container ships (avoiding transhipment)
• 🚢 Lower freight costs per TEU through vessel economies of scale
• 🌏 Greater trade competitiveness for Bangladesh exports

📜 Historical Project Context

The Laldia terminal project has been in development for several years:

• 📅 June 2021: Bangladesh and Denmark signed memorandum of understanding to facilitate cooperation under PPP framework
• 📅 17 November 2025: Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) and APM Terminals BV signed agreement for terminal development through 100% foreign investment
• 📅 30 August 2026: Construction begins — inauguration ceremony at Laldia Char
• 📅 2030: Expected operational date

The 5-year gap between the original MoU (2021) and the construction agreement (2025) reflects the complexity of large-scale port infrastructure PPP deals — involving extensive feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, financial structuring, and regulatory approvals across multiple Bangladeshi and Danish government agencies.

⚡ Green Port Operations

The use of electric equipment and modern cargo-handling technology will support greener port operations, while the ability to accommodate larger vessels directly will reduce vessel waiting times and cargo turnaround at the country's premier seaport. The green operations commitment aligns with broader port sector decarbonisation trends and supports Bangladesh's COP climate commitments.

📊 Strategic Context: Chattogram Port Capacity

The Laldia terminal investment comes at a strategically important moment for Chattogram Port:

• 📊 Chattogram Port 2025 throughput: 3.41 million TEUs (4.1% YoY growth)
• 📊 Global ranking: 68th (Lloyd's List One Hundred Ports 2026)
• 📊 Laldia capacity addition: ~1 million TEUs annually (nearly 30% boost)
• 📊 Current direct berthing: vessels up to ~3,000 TEUs
• 📊 Laldia direct berthing: vessels up to 6,000 TEUs (2x current capacity)

The combined effect of the Laldia terminal capacity expansion and the larger vessel berthing capability should materially improve Chattogram Port's competitive position in the Bay of Bengal — particularly vis-à-vis regional competitors like Colombo Port (Sri Lanka) which has historically benefited from transhipment traffic that could otherwise flow through Chattogram.

🌏 Strategic Implications for Bangladesh

The Laldia terminal project carries far-reaching strategic implications:

• ✅ Capacity boost: ~30% increase in Chattogram Port container handling capacity
• ✅ FDI milestone: $550 million 100% foreign investment in port infrastructure
• ✅ PPP model validation: DBFOT framework proven viable for large port projects
• ✅ Operational efficiency: electric equipment supports greener port operations
• ✅ Vessel size accommodation: 6,000 TEU vessels directly berth (2x current)
• ✅ Trillion-dollar economy goal: positioned as enabler of 2034 economic ambition
• ✅ Denmark-Bangladesh cooperation: bilateral commercial partnership milestone

The Laldia terminal construction begins at a pivotal moment for Bangladesh's broader economic trajectory. With LDC graduation in November 2026, export growth needed to sustain the trillion-dollar economy ambition by 2034, and ongoing gas and power crisis affecting industrial production, the port capacity expansion represents a critical enabler of the country's broader trade competitiveness.

Once operational in 2030, the Laldia terminal will provide Bangladesh with the deep-water container handling capacity needed to support the projected growth in export container traffic through the next decade — while the 30-year operational commitment from APM Terminals under the DBFOT model provides long-term certainty for one of the largest single foreign investments in Bangladesh's port sector history.