Bangladesh-Denmark G2G venture to add 800,000 TEUs capacity and host 6,000 TEU vessels
Groundbreaking Held for $550M Laldia Container Terminal
- APM Terminals breaks ground on the $550 million Laldia Container Terminal in Chattogram
- The facility will expand port throughput by over 800,000 TEUs and accommodate 6,000 TEU container ships by 2030
- Developed under the Landlord Port Model as Bangladesh's first decarbonized, green port infrastructure
Marking a milestone in maritime logistics and sustainable infrastructure, APM Terminals—a subsidiary of A.P. Moller–Maersk—formally broke ground on the Laldia Container Terminal project in Chattogram on Sunday, 30 August 2026. Stemming from a government-to-government (G2G) framework between Bangladesh and Denmark, the $550 million project represents one of the largest Public-Private Partnership (PPP) foreign direct investments in the nation's history, executed alongside the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) and local partner QNS Container Services Limited.
The groundbreaking ceremony was addressed by Minister for Finance and Planning Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury as chief guest, and Minister for Road Transport & Bridges, Railways, and Shipping Sheikh Robiul Alam as guest of honor.
Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury stated, "This milestone infrastructure transforms Chattogram into a dynamic regional logistics hub. As Bangladesh targets expanding its gross domestic product from $500 billion to $1 trillion by 2034, private capital deployment and PPP frameworks will serve as foundational growth drivers." He also urged the concessionaire to provide technical vocational training and rehabilitation support to displaced local families.
Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam emphasized that the terminal establishes advanced digital and operational efficiencies for national commerce, handling approximately 92 percent of the country's external trade. Operating under the 'Landlord Port Model', the underlying asset ownership remains fully with Bangladesh. Slated for commissioning in 2030, the facility will inject over 800,000 TEUs of annual handling capacity and accommodate deep-draft container vessels of up to 6,000 TEUs—a significant leap from the current 2,800 TEU ceiling.
APM Terminals Laldia CEO Romesh David and Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Christian Brix Møller noted that the terminal is engineered as an energy-efficient, low-emission green facility powered by electrified cargo equipment, rooftop solar arrays, and cold ironing (shore-to-ship power). The project is slated to generate over 1,000 construction jobs and more than 500 direct technical operational roles.
The event was attended by CPA Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman, APM Terminals B.V. Global Head of Business Implementation Jack Craig, Shipping Secretary Zakaria, and A.P. Moller Singapore Managing Director René Piil Pedersen.
//DBTech/AHK/MIST//
