APM Terminals begins construction of $550m Laldia terminal

APM Terminals, a subsidiary of Danish shipping giant AP Møller–Maersk, today began construction of the Laldia Container Terminal (LCT) in Chattogram’s Patenga, raising hopes of greater efficiency in port services.

The $550 million LCT project, which is expected to be operational in 2030, will handle one million TEUs of containers annually, adding nearly one-third to Bangladesh’s current container-handling capacity.

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“This would open a new horizon in logistics and trade facilities and support the country's development,” said Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury at the inauguration of construction of the greenfield project at Laldia Char, at the confluence of the Karnaphuli River in Patenga.

The project would be a significant milestone in the country’s journey towards a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, he added.

Under the public-private partnership, APM Terminals will develop and operate the facility under a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model. It will operate the LCT for 30 years, with an option to extend the period by a further 15 years.

APM Terminals CEO Ramesh David said that once fully operational, the terminal would handle close to one million TEUs of containers annually. APM Terminals is building the LCT on 49.15 acres of land along the Karnaphuli River.

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Photo: Collected

He added that the facility would feature a 616-metre-long jetty, seven ship-to-shore cranes, 32 electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes and 41 electric terminal tractors.

The project has been in the pipeline for several years. Bangladesh and Denmark signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2021 to facilitate cooperation on the project under the PPP framework.

Later, the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) and APM Terminals BV signed an agreement on November 17, 2025, paving the way for the terminal’s development through 100 percent foreign investment.

CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman said the terminal would accommodate vessels carrying up to 6,000 TEUs, roughly double the capacity of ships that currently berth directly at Chattogram Port.

The use of electric equipment and modern cargo-handling technology will support greener port operations, while the ability to accommodate larger vessels directly will reduce vessel waiting times and cargo turnaround at the country’s premier seaport.

Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam also attended the event.