The Chattogram Port Authority and Chattogram customs have taken the initiative to maintain activities round the clock, even on weekends and public holidays, in a bid to reduce container congestion.

These measures were agreed upon after talks with key stakeholders at the Chattogram port building.

The move is designed to clear the container backlog and speed up import-export processes, which slowed to a snail's pace during the nationwide violence and curfew centring the quota reform protest and subsequent five-day internet shutdown.

According to port officials, the Chattogram port usually has 30,000 to 32,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers.

However, on Tuesday that figure stood at 43,578 TEUS, which is over 81 percent of the port's total capacity of 53,518 TEUs.

According to port data, 4,338 TEUs of import containers were discharged while 3,955 TUE containers were shipped for export in the 24 hours till 8:00am on Tuesday.

Md Omar Faruk, secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), told The Daily Star: "Import and export container congestion is decreasing day by day. We still have fewer containers than capacity.

"However, efforts are underway to bring it to below 40,000 TEUs. We have taken several steps and hope to bring it under control in the next three to four days."

Container congestion is also being witnessed at the 19 private inland container depots, which handle around 90 percent of the Chattogram Port's exports.

Although these depots normally have around 6,000 to 7,000 TEUs of export containers, they are currently storing nearly double the amount, averaging around 15,400 TEUs.

These depots, constructed to alleviate the pressure on the Chattogram Port, release 38 different types of imported goods and store empty containers.

Additionally, the port's dedicated space to store containers to be transported through freight trains is now being clogged by 2,470 TEUs, which is nearly three times greater than its capacity of 876 TEUs.

The congestion is not only causing financial losses to importers but also disrupting the port's operations, especially as around 30 percent of the yard should be kept clear to ensure the smooth transfer of containers.

To release some pressure, the port and customs authorities will give importers the opportunity to release their goods through the Chattogram port and Pangaon port instead of the Kamalapur ICD.

The customs and port authorities also demanded that the railway authority ensure at least 200 TEUs of containers are transported from the port daily, up from the existing 80-100 TEUs. To this end, they said the number of railway engines as well as the number of wagons should be increased.

Mohammad Fyzur Rahman, commissioner of Chattogram Customs House, told The Daily Star: "Container transport to the Kamalapur ICD has been delayed by the shutdown of railway wagons over the past 22 days. The railway authority resumed container transportation last Monday. They also assured us they are working to increase the number of wagons and locomotives.

"We hope the condition will return to normal within the next few days."