Sonadia deep-sea port on board

China is all set to win the contract to construct the coveted deep-sea port at Sonadia, a small town 9 sqkm offshore of Cox's Bazar in Chittagong division.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 8 June 2014, 09:04 AM
Updated : 8 June 2014, 09:04 AM

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) to get the project started is slated to be signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ongoing visit to China .

India is closely monitoring the development but many in the country that the deep-sea port may help it access its own remote Northeast.

The State-owned China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) is likely to win the contract to construct the port.

A major portion of the project will be financed by the Chinese government.

The project will be executed in three phases -- Phase 1 will cater to the shipping demands till 2020, Phase 2 till 2030, and Phase 3 till 2055. Initially, the CHEC will execute the Phase 1 of the deep-sea port.

The major task of the company will be engineering (including detailed investigation and design), procurement, construction and operation.

The construction of Sonadia deep-sea port was conceived in 2006 to reduce the burden of Chittagong, the country's major port, whose capacity has fallen behind demand.

Given steady economic growth of the country, Chittagong is unable to handle the traffic, so the country needs an alternative seaport.
Bangladesh also need a big new port if it wants to become a major economic hub providing sea access to China's Yunnan Province, India's land-locked seven north-eastern States, Nepal and Bhutan.

Trades from these areas are greatly hampered owing to their distance from the sea and benefit Bangladesh economically.