Competition has intensified for control of Chattogram port's container terminals, with UAE's DP World, Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), and Bangladeshi operators submitting proposals to run key facilities, reports the Dhaka Daily Star.

The port has four main terminals: General Cargo Berth (GCB), Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT), New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT), and Patenga Container Terminal (PCT). RSGT already operates Patenga, while the others are run by local operators. DP World has long sought to lease NCT and recently expressed interest in CCT, aiming to integrate both terminals.

Within weeks, RSGT proposed modernizing and operating CCT and GCB with an investment exceeding US$600 million. A senior RSGT official said the plan was at an early stage but could deliver efficiency gains if approved by the government.

Bangladeshi conglomerate MGH Group has also submitted a fresh proposal to operate NCT and CCT under a public-private partnership model. Chief executive Anis Ahmed said MGH's offer would provide higher revenue to the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) than foreign rivals, citing lower financing and overhead costs.

MGH has offered CPA $98.50 per TEU in revenue share at NCT, compared with DP World's $93.50 to $97.50. The group estimates its 15-year concession could generate $1.68 billion in payments to CPA.

Meanwhile, a consortium of 12 berth operators currently running GCB has proposed a $627 million investment to reconstruct jetties and expand yards, sheds, and warehouses. BOSTOA president Fazley Ekram Chowdhury said the operators' ground-level experience positioned them to modernize the terminal.

Chittagong Port handled 34.09 lakh (3.4 million) TEU in 2025, with NCT accounting for 13.21 lakh, GCB 10.83 lakh, CCT 4.83 lakh, and PCT 1.53 lakh. Officials said foreign firms remain interested in greenfield projects such as Bay Terminal, but operational facilities offer immediate revenue, making them more attractive for investment.