Bangladesh considers demurrage waiver as containers pile up in Chittagong

The Chittagong port yards are currently overwhelmed with nearly 40,000 TEUs of containers, primarily imports, following a week of nationwide protests that resulted in a highway blockade, curfew, and internet restrictions.
Importers are now facing significant demurrage charges for storing containers at the port yards for more than four days, compounding their financial losses from factory closures and shipping delays. According to a port official, importers can keep containers free of charge for four days after unloading. Starting from the fifth day, the charges are $6 per day for a 20ft container, increasing to $12 from the twelfth day and $24 from the twenty-first day—double for a 40ft container.

Businesses have called on the government to waive these charges to mitigate their financial strain. Recently, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry demanded a suspension of demurrage charges for this week and requested that no new charges be imposed for 15 days after the port resumes normal operations. The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry also urged the government to waive these fees.

Junior Shipping Minister Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury suggested that the government might consider the waiver if businesses submit formal applications. He noted that the government had previously waived substantial storage charges for businesses unable to take delivery of containers during the Covid-19 pandemic and might do so again in this situation.