Port of Matarbari: Bangladesh's First Deep-Sea Port
Located in the Matarbari area of Cox's Bazar District, Chittagong Division (21.67°N 91.95°E), Matarbari Deep-Sea Port is evolving from a coal-loading jetty serving the Moheshkhali power plant into Bangladesh's first fully-fledged deep-sea port. It aims to overcome the draft limitations of Chittagong and Mongla, positioning Bangladesh as a key maritime hub in the Bay of Bengal.
Harbour & Channel Specifications
The port features a man-made harbour with breakwaters at a depth of 16 meters (up to 18 meters with tidal support). The navigational channel — 14.3 km long and 350 meters wide, handed over to the Chittagong Port Authority on September 20, 2023 — is the deepest among Bangladesh's ports, cutting congestion and turnaround times. It was funded and built by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Matarbari vs. Existing Ports
Limited to a 9.5-meter draft, capping vessel sizes at 2,400 TEUs and forcing reliance on transshipment hubs like Colombo and Singapore.
16–18 meter draft supports direct docking of mother vessels carrying 8,000+ containers, reducing transshipment dependency.
Key Features & Developments
Current plans prioritize a 460-meter container jetty and a 300-meter multipurpose jetty, with construction following contractor finalization. Container yards and modern cargo-handling facilities are under development alongside these terminals.
Timeline Status
The coal terminal has been running since at least April 2023, handling vessels such as the 230-meter Ausu Maro carrying 80,000 metric tons of coal. Since 2023 the port has handled 112 cargo ships, generating Tk 6.84 crore in revenue.
The multipurpose and container terminals' first phase is expected fully operational by December 2029, with commercial mother-vessel operations anticipated from 2030 (per Brig Gen (retd) M Shakhawat Hussain, Oct 2024).
Phase One Terminal Design
The container terminal (18 hectares, 460-meter berth) targets an annual capacity of 600,000 to 1.1 million TEUs, scalable to 1.4–4.2 million TEUs by 2041. A general cargo terminal is also planned for vessels unable to dock at existing Bangladeshi ports.
Economic & Strategic Impact
Positioned 34 nautical miles from Chittagong, 190 from Payra, and 240 from Mongla, Matarbari is set to serve roughly 3 billion people across Bangladesh, Northeast India, Nepal, and Bhutan as a Bay of Bengal transshipment hub. It's expected to contribute 2–3% to Bangladesh's GDP and create up to 900,000 jobs, cutting export times to the US from 45 to 23 days and saving $131–$197 per container versus Chittagong (JICA estimates).
The $1.5 billion project (Tk 17,777 crore) is backed primarily by a JICA loan of $1.09 billion, with additional funding from the Bangladesh government and CPA; an extra Tk 6,573.96 million was approved in 2024 for cost revisions.
Inland Connectivity
A 27 km access road to Fasiakhali, linking to the Chittagong–Cox's Bazar highway, is under construction (target: December 2026). Longer-term plans include a dedicated rail freight terminal, potential river transport integration, and surrounding logistics parks and industrial zones as part of a full multimodal transport hub.
Actionable Insights for Stakeholders
Ship Owners/Managers: Leverage the coal terminal for bulk shipments now, and prepare for 8,000+ TEU container operations post-2029. Charterers: Plan for higher cargo volumes per trip with direct routes by 2030. Cargo Brokers: Highlight the $131–$197 per-container savings and faster transit times once multipurpose berths open. Port Competitors: Colombo and Singapore may see reduced Bangladesh transshipment demand as Matarbari scales up.