Four state-of-the-art Quay Gantry Cranes (QGCs) arrived at the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) on Friday evening, marking a major milestone for Bangladesh's first foreign-operated port facility.
The specialized deck ship 'LAN HAI HONG YUN' carried the ship-to-shore cranes, procured from China for approximately $30 million. Two experienced pilots and three powerful port tugboats successfully guided the specialized vessel from the outer anchorage to the PCT jetty.
The arrival was confirmed by officials from the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) and the Saudi Arabia-based private operator, Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT). To ensure safety during the unloading process, the CPA's deputy conservator had previously issued a navigation warning, instructing all commercial vessels, tankers, and fishing trawlers to maintain a 100-meter distance from the PCT jetty in the Karnaphuli Channel.
Port users note that QGCs are essential for fast and safe container handling, particularly for modern gearless vessels that lack onboard cranes. While it took over a year to manufacture these cranes after RSGT signed the purchase agreement with China's Sunny Marine Heavy Industry in February 2025, officials estimate they will become fully operational within a month.
The new equipment is expected to more than double the terminal's capacity, raising RSGT Bangladesh's annual handling capability from 250,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) to 600,000 TEUs. This upgrade will significantly boost operating efficiency and lower regional logistics costs. Previously, RSGT invested $26 million to procure 14 Rubber-Tyred Gantry cranes (RTGs) for yard operations.
Built by the Chittagong Port Authority at a cost of Tk 1,200 crore, the PCT is being equipped and operated by RSGT under a 22-year concession signed in December 2023. Under the agreement, RSGT committed to investing $170 million in modernization and paid an upfront concession fee of $18.3 million.
Due to height restrictions enforced to protect flight paths at the nearby Shah Amanat International Airport, the four massive gantry cranes will be installed across two of the PCT’s three jetties.
Between January and May 2026, the terminal handled 143,000 TEUs, with imports accounting for 50 percent of the volume and exports at 19 percent. The terminal currently averages 11 to 12 container ships per month, a figure expected to rise sharply once the new shore cranes go live.
