Picture this: 14 container ships idling for up to five days offshore, 37,000 TEUs choking the terminal yards, and truckers blocking every port gate. Welcome back to Chittagong-the "World's Most Congested Port"-where a minor traffic collision just exploded into a full-blown supply chain crisis.
What Sparked the Standstill?
On February 4, 2025, a truck driver was assaulted by security guards after a minor collision near the DC Park recreation area. Within hours, drivers erupted in protest, blockading roads and halting all container movements in and out of Chittagong Port. Despite a temporary truce brokered by military and government officials on February 5, drivers resumed their strike the next day, demanding the park's closure and legal immunity. Their message: "No case withdrawal, no work.".
The Domino Effect
- Vessels in Limbo: As of February 10, at least 14 ships were anchored offshore, some waiting five days just to dock. Six vessels departed late-one left with 100+ export containers still stranded onshore.
- Yards at Breaking Point: The port's container terminals (NCT, CCT) are operating at 80% capacity, with 37,000 TEUs smothering dockside space.
- Inland Logjam: Export containers piled up at inland depots (ICDs) soared to 14,000 TEUs-nearly double their normal capacity. Clearing this backlog could take a week or more.
Supply Chain Whiplash
Maersk issued an urgent alert on February 7, confirming that trailer-driver strikes had crippled container transport across Bangladesh. Even after union leaders called off the strike, drivers refused to return, demanding legal protection. The fallout?
- Exporters face costly delays and rolled shipments.
- Carriers risk schedule integrity as ships idle or sail underfilled.
- ICDs are overwhelmed, unable to absorb new cargo until space clears.
Industry Response: Damage Control
Maersk and Kuehne+Nagel are scrambling:
- Prioritizing critical shipments for vessel loading.
- Coordinating with government and ICD operators to restore flows.
Port officials estimate two weeks minimum to clear the backlog-if operations normalize now. But with driver grievances unresolved, further disruptions loom.
Why Chittagong's Pain is Your Problem
This isn't just "another" delay. Chittagong handles 90%+ of Bangladesh's seaborne trade. Every hour of downtime ripples through apparel, manufacturing, and retail supply chains globally.
The Road Ahead
Chittagong's congestion exposes a fragile truth: even a single spark-a dispute, an accident, a park-can ignite systemic gridlock. While Maersk and partners fight to reroute cargo, smart shippers are:
- Diversifying discharge ports (e.g., Mongla, transshipment via Colombo).
- Building 2-3 weeks of buffer into transit plans.
- Locking in all-water services early to avoid premium fees.
Key Takeaway: Resilience isn't optional here. As one logistics veteran noted: "Chittagong runs on chaos. Your job? Plan for the unplannable."
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