Cargo handling at Bangladesh's main Chittagong port rose 2.3 percent to record 27.6 million tonnes in 2007, following a drive to improve efficiency and reduce corruption, the port said on Sunday. The turnaround time for a ship was reduced to three days from more than 10 days a year ago, port officials said.
"The efficiency of the port is now much better following the introduction of some modern equipment and also there is a constant watch against corruption by security forces," Commodore M. Farook, chairman of Chittagong Port Authority, told Reuters.
Private operators were also engaged last year to handle bulk cargo and containers to improve efficiency. Imports accounted for 24.24 million tonnes while exports, including containers, made up 3.39 million tonnes. Container handling increased 9.3 percent to 958,020 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) from the previous year.