A CPA circular issued yesterday declared that all the ships waiting in the line will be allowed to anchor at the port and the companies that want to bring new ships can berth those with prior permission.

Earlier on September 28, a high level meeting of the shipping ministry decided not to allow any new ship and discouraged the shipping companies to bring more ships to operate at the port.

The meeting followed a threat by the Singapore-based ship owners' platform Chittagong Feeder Trade Committee (CFTC) to impose additional surcharge on Chittagong port due to long congestion.

The CFTC comprising five major shipping companies controlled the cargo carrying business and vehemently opposed joining of any new feeder vessels on the four major feeder routes connecting Chittagong port. The routes are Chittagong to Singapore, Colombo and Malaysian ports Klang and Tanjung Pelapas.

Forty-nine vessels belonging to 14 shipping companies are now operating on the routes.

CFTC, which had been dominating in carrying container cargo on those routes for long, claimed that allowing new ships on those routes will increase the congestion at the port.

The opposition to CFTC came to surface when shipping companies Everbest Shipping, Continental Trading and Vega Marine expressed desire to bring three new ships on the route.

The shipping companies were surprised to get a letter from the CPA authority that asked them not to bring any new vessels on the route. Showing congestion at the port as the prime reason, the CPA expressed inability to allow new ships at the port until the New Mooring container terminals are commissioned in full scale.

The three shipping companies filed cases with the High Court and lobbied with the exporters and importers against the CPA decision. They said the new feeder vessels were necessary for smooth handling of export and import items.

They also urged the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, the major platform of the garment exporters, for creating pressure on the CPA in this regard.

The CPA allowed one voyage of the Eagle Progress to offload imported items at the port after the ship entered into the Bangladesh territory but the ship was not allowed to carry export item from the port as punishment, sources said.

The shipping agents think allowing new ships on the route will help reduce the dominance of the CFTC that often makes the port authority hostage and force the government to take decision in their favour.

Joining of new ships will increase competition among the ship owners and help reduce the freight rate, they said.

Suspending its previous circular, the CPA gave the shipping agents letters conveying the new decision that all intended vessels will be allowed to anchor at the port.

A source of the shipping companies said they have been given the permission on condition that the companies would not impose additional surcharge.