Govt signs 30-year deal with Danish APM for Laldia Container

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) today signed a 30-year agreement with Danish APM Terminals for the development and operation of the Laldia Container Terminal (LCT) in the upper estuary of the Karnaphuli River.

Under the deal, termed a concession agreement, APM Terminals will design, finance, build and operate the new terminal, with possible extensions based on performance.

The agreement comes at a time when various organisations are opposing the government's plan to lease different terminals of Chattogram port, the country's main gateway to external trade, to foreign companies.

Meanwhile, speaking at the deal signing ceremony at InterContinental Dhaka, CPA Chairman SM Moniruzzaman said the terminal is critical to meeting rising container volumes.

 "We are seeing 11 percent annual growth, and by 2030, we must handle an additional 1.5 million TEUs. This terminal is arriving at a time when we urgently need both capacity and efficiency," he said.

 The event was chaired by Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, chief executive officer of the Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA).

PPPA said the LCT is the country's first PPP project between the Bangladesh and Denmark governments in the port sector.

Once operational, the terminal is expected to handle over 800,000 TEUs annually, significantly easing congestion at Chattogram's existing terminals.

"This is more than infrastructure, it's a shared vision," said Lina Gandløse Hansen, state secretary for trade and investment at Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Laldia will enhance port efficiency, create jobs, and support greener, more resilient maritime logistics."

In a recorded message, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called the project a milestone in the bilateral strategic partnership and a signal of strong confidence in Bangladesh's future.

The project represents the largest-ever European equity investment in Bangladesh, with a projected foreign direct investment (FDI) of $550 million.

PPPA CEO Ashik Chowdhury said the project demonstrates Bangladesh's readiness to execute complex PPPs. "Laldia is not where our voyage ends—it's where we set sail."

Officials said the terminal will enable 24-hour operations, accommodate larger vessels, and reduce logistics costs for exporters.

It will also support faster delivery, catalyse investment in inland logistics, and create 500–700 direct jobs, along with thousands of indirect employment opportunities across related sectors.

The terminal is expected to be commissioned by 2030.