Insufficient refrigerated containers affect frozen shrimp, fish exports

Importers are not getting empty refrigerated containers as they need while shipping frozen shrimp and fish as there are shortages of these specific containers at Chattogram Seaport, officials and exporters said.

Though loading and unloading works have been rising in all the container depots, the empty reefers which were laid on the port yard are being sent unfilled to the major seaports from where those came. Therefore, a scarcity of reefers forcing fish exporters to wait for longer time for shipping their frozen products.

To Transfer the refrigerated containers to the container depots within 48 hours, the Chattogram Sea Port Authority wrote two separate letters to Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), Bangladesh Shipping Association and Bangladesh Container Shipping Association recently.

Reefers use large refrigerators to transport temperature controlled cargoes especially frozen and perishable food, fruits, meat, fish and so on.

M Ruhul Amin Sikder, Secretary of Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) denied that there was any shortage of reefers, insisting that their logistic support is good enough to load-unload goods in a balanced manner.

Expressing his surprise about the letter from the Port, he said, “They always move reefers within 48 hours and that there has been no instances to put empty containers on a ship.”   

Meanwhile on 25th July, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) had ordered the authorities to move imported merchandise to 19 different depots outside the port terminal until the end of August to minimise the container gridlock at the Chattogram Port.

The decision came via NBR and at the request of the Shipping Ministry to lessen congestion inside the port. The Chattogram Port had urged NBR to take action to this end prior to the imposition of the July 23 lockdown.

Omar Faruk, Secretary of Chattogram Port Authority said, “We sent a letter to all authorities concerned to move empty containers towards depots after unloading.”

Due to lack of space sometimes the empty containers are being loaded back home, he said.   

Faruk said the number of container handling has increased as Covid-19 situation improved substantially across the country.

According to Port rules, only 38 types of goods can be stored to various container depots outside of the port before being delivered; the rest of the imported goods can be handed over from the port yard.

As per new rule, respective importers took delivery of their goods from different container depots subject to proper scanning and 100 percent feasibility test, until 31 August.

Ashraf Hossain Masud, owner of Masud Fish Processing and Ice Complex Ltd said in the last one year, the tariff of refrigerated containers soared and remained unavailable when sought.

The tariff used to $ 1800 to $ 2200 dollars that skyrocketed to $ 18,000 to $ 20,000 dollars, currently. Masud, who ships frozen fish to Europe, said, “We have to wait for a long time after booking a container.”

Due lack of logistic support, depots take extra time for scanning and storing of containers, Masud said, adding that complying with port orders to move empty containers within 48 hours can reduce the scarcity of the required containers.