At the request of BGMEA, an association of garment manufacturers and exporters, the Chittagong Port Authority has relaxed the cut-off time and gate-in time of export containers up to 30 March of next year. This information was given through a notice signed by the Director (Transport) on Monday (27 December). As per the previous notice, this facility for the garments industry is coming to an end on the 31st of this month. The port authority has given this facility by the Chittagong Port Chairman on 14 December in response to BGMEA’s request to relax the cut-off time and gate-in time. This facility will be effective only in the case of export products of the garments industry.
According to the notice, the cut-off time has been increased from 7:30 am to 7:30 am the next day for ships that arrive in the morning and from 8:00 pm to 8:00 pm the next day for ships that arrive at night. This means that the facility has been extended to 24 hours during both the morning and night. Also, it has been said that the container gate-in time will end 3 hours before the ship leaves the jetty.
According to the general rules, ships carrying export goods are bound to arrive at the port at 7:30 am on the day of arrival during the morning and at 8:00 pm during the night.
On the same notice, 6 and a half hours after the end of the cut-off time for ships arriving during the day and 4 hours for ships arriving at night have been given for the documentation of export cargo containers.
It has been requested in the notice to complete the work of staffing and documentation of export cargo containers within the extended cut-off time.