Chittagong Port Authority and APM Terminals to sign 30-year concession agreement for Laldia Container Terminal (LCT) PPP project

In a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy premises on Wednesday (November 12, 2025), Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (MIDA) and Chief Executive Officer (State Minister rank) of Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA), Mr. Ashiq Chowdhury said—

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is going to bring revolutionary changes in the port sector of Bangladesh. The company is on the verge of signing a 30-year concession agreement with APM Terminals B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Denmark-based Maersk Group, under which they will develop and operate the Laldia Container Terminal (LCT) under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework. APM Terminals will design, finance, build and operate the project, but the port will be owned by the Chittagong Port Authority. This will significantly reduce the government’s capital expenditure.

APM Terminals B.V. is wholly owned by the Maersk Group, headquartered in Denmark, one of the leading European countries, which is ranked number one in the world as a corruption-free country. According to the World Bank (2024), the company currently operates more than 60 terminals in 33 countries and has operated 10 of the world’s top 20 ports. This project will bring world-class technology, efficiency and effectiveness to Bangladesh, based on their long experience in operating ports not only in Europe but also in various Asian countries such as China, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc.

Laldia Container Terminal will be the country’s first green and smart port, which will be able to accommodate ships twice the current capacity and will be fully operational with 24-hour night navigation facilities. Through this project, Bangladesh will get direct global shipping connectivity and significantly reduce transportation costs for exporters and importers.

The benefits that Bangladesh will receive as a result are;

1. Large Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Under the agreement, APM Terminals will invest more than US$ 800 million over the entire term, which will be the largest single European equity investment in Bangladesh. The arrival of a world-class investor like APM Terminals in Bangladesh will attract additional Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to other sectors of the country.
2. Increased Container Handling Capacity: Once the LCT is operational, the port’s container handling capacity will increase by more than 800,000 TEUs per year, which is about 44% more than the current capacity. The terminal is expected to be operational by 2030.
3. Increased revenue for the government and CPA: The project will be operated on a revenue-sharing basis, through which CPA will receive a fixed dollar-based revenue per container. At the same time, the government’s revenue will also increase through taxes, duties and maritime ancillary services.
4. Employment: The construction and operation phase of this project will create 500-700 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs in the trucking, storage, logistics and local SME sectors.
5. International standard safety and working methods: APM Terminals will implement world-class Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) policies, which will reduce the accident rate and ensure the welfare of workers.
6. Modern technology transfer: APM’s advanced digital terminal operating system, LEAN methodology and FLOW process framework will modernize Bangladesh’s port infrastructure and enhance the skills of local engineers and technicians.
7. Reduction in business costs and faster delivery: With faster ship turnaround time and less container dwell time, exporters, especially entrepreneurs in the garment, agro-processing and light engineering sectors, will be able to deliver on time, which will further strengthen Bangladesh’s position in international competition.
8. Staff Skills Development: Through APM Terminals’ own training program, Bangladeshi engineers, technicians and managers will receive international standard training, which will enhance the efficiency of the country’s overall logistics sector.
9. Increased inland economic flows: The port’s annual cargo capacity of over 800,000 TEUs will encourage the establishment of new inland container depots, cold chains and industrial zones in the Dhaka-Chittagong and other economic corridors.
10. Green and climate-resilient port infrastructure: The port will reduce its carbon emissions through the use of energy-efficient technologies and climate adaptation initiatives, which will help meet Bangladesh’s Paris Agreement (NDC) targets.
11. Setting an example for Bangladesh’s PPP sector: A world-class long-term concession agreement will enhance Bangladesh’s PPP capacity and credibility, which will attract new foreign investment in the power, transport and social infrastructure sectors in the future.

At the end of the press briefing, Mr. Ashiq Chowdhury also said, “The Laldia Container Terminal project will take Bangladesh’s port sector to world-class levels. It is not just an infrastructure investment but will also make Bangladesh’s logistics sector ‘future-ready’, which will usher in a new era for our exports, employment and foreign investment.”