Mongla Port Authority sees surge in vessels and cargo, strengthening Bangladesh’s trade and logistics capacity. Photo : BSS

KHULNA, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) - Mongla Port Authority has recorded a significant rise in vessel arrivals and cargo handling during the first seven months of the 2025-26 fiscal year, marking a new milestone in the port's operational performance.

As the country's second-largest seaport, Mongla handled 21,651 TEUs of containers between July 2025 and January 2026, surpassing the entire previous fiscal year's total of 21,456 TEUs. The figure represents a 79.19 percent increase compared to FY 2024-25, according to port sources.

During the July-January period, a total of 31 foreign commercial container vessels docked at the port. Overall, 515 foreign commercial ships arrived at Mongla in the seven-month period, while 6,404 reconditioned vehicles were imported through the port.

Cargo handling reached 8.266 million metric tons during the period, registering a 25.03 percent increase over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

Officials said the steady growth in maritime traffic reflects the port's expanding role in facilitating the country's import and export trade and reducing pressure on other seaports.

Deputy Director of Mongla Port Authority Md. Makruzzaman said the port had already exceeded last year's total container handling volume with five months of the current fiscal year still remaining.

"To improve services for port users and accommodate more vessels, three new operational anchor berths - HP-1, HP-2 and HP-3 - have been declared at Hiron Point," he said.

He added that on a trial basis, 16 commercial vessels with a draft of 9.00 meters have successfully completed operations at the new berths. The facilities can now accommodate vessels up to 200 meters in length with a maximum 9.00-meter draft, enabling larger cargo operations and quicker turnaround times.

At present, the port handles imports of essential commodities including food grains, cement raw materials, clinker, fertilizer, automobiles, machinery, rice, wheat, coal, oil, stone, maize, oilseeds and LPG.

Exports through Mongla Port include white fish, shrimp, crab, frozen foods, jute and jute goods, clay tiles, silk fabrics and other locally manufactured products.

Port stakeholders expressed optimism that ongoing infrastructural development and rising vessel calls would further enhance trade throughput and make a stronger contribution to the national economy in the years ahead.