Ports Of Bangladesh

\

Introduction to Ports in Bangladesh

1. Chittagong
   Chittagong is the largest and most important port in Bangladesh. It is located on the northeastern shore of the Bay of Bengal, enjoying a superior geographical location and serving as the main gateway for Bangladesh's international trade.

• For Ocean FCL (Full Container Load), Chittagong has well-equipped container terminal facilities. Many enterprises like WanHao, when exporting a large quantity of goods to Bangladesh or importing a large number of commodities from Bangladesh, will find full container load shipping an efficient choice. For example, large clothing manufacturing enterprises transporting textile raw materials to Bangladesh or exporting finished clothing products can ensure the safety and integrity of the goods during transportation through full container transport. Moreover, the loading and unloading process at Chittagong is quite convenient, allowing for the quick arrangement of container lifting and storage.

• In terms of Ocean LCL (Less than Container Load), Chittagong also has professional LCL service providers. Some small and medium-sized enterprises whose goods are not enough to fill a whole container can transport their goods to Chittagong through LCL services. For instance, small electronic component suppliers can consolidate their goods with those of other enterprises in one container, reducing transportation costs. Although the transportation time may be slightly longer, it improves the feasibility of transporting small-batch goods.

• The Ocean Freight business at Chittagong is very busy, covering various types of goods, ranging from industrial raw materials such as steel and chemical products to all kinds of consumer goods like food and home appliances. A large number of Bangladesh's export goods, such as clothing and jute products, are also shipped to all parts of the world through Chittagong by sea.

• The Air freight facilities at Chittagong are also constantly developing. Although the air freight volume is relatively smaller than that of sea freight, for high-value and urgently needed goods, such as high-end electronic products and medical emergency equipment, air freight can quickly deliver the goods to their destinations. There is also a certain logistics connection between the airport and the port, facilitating the transshipment and distribution of goods.

2. Khulna Port
   Khulna Port is located on the banks of the Pussur River in the southwestern part of Bangladesh and is an important inland river port in the country. It mainly serves the import and export of goods in the southwestern region of Bangladesh.

• For the inland river transportation part of Ocean Freight, Khulna Port plays a crucial role. Some bulk goods such as grain and building materials can be transported to Khulna Port through inland waterways and then transshipped to other regions or transferred to Chittagong by barges for ocean transportation. In the Ocean LCL business, for some small-batch goods in the surrounding areas, Khulna Port can serve as a consolidation point. The goods can be consolidated here and then shipped to Chittagong or directly exported. However, due to limitations such as river conditions, Khulna Port has a limited capacity to accommodate large container ships, and its container transportation scale is smaller compared to that of Chittagong.

• For enterprises like WanHao, if their business involves the market development in the southwestern region of Bangladesh, Khulna Port is a logistics node that needs to be considered. For example, when agricultural enterprises transport fertilizers, pesticides and other materials to this region or purchase agricultural products from this region for export, the inland river transportation advantages of Khulna Port can help reduce transportation costs.

3. Chalna Anchorage
   Chalna Anchorage is an auxiliary anchorage for Chittagong Port, mainly used for the temporary berthing of ships, waiting for berthing instructions or conducting some simple cargo loading and unloading operations.

• In Ocean Freight transportation, when the berths at Chittagong Port are in short supply, ships may anchor at Chalna Anchorage first and wait. Some large bulk carriers or oil tankers transporting crude oil, coal and other goods to Bangladesh may stay at Chalna Anchorage first and then slowly sail into Chittagong Port for formal loading and unloading operations. For the WanHao enterprise, if its cargo ships encounter congestion at Chittagong Port, they will need to make temporary stay arrangements at Chalna Anchorage. This also requires the enterprise to consider the possible delay risks in its logistics plan and make corresponding countermeasures.

  
  

Customs Clearance in Bangladesh

1. Requirements for Customs Clearance Documents

• Commercial Invoice: It must accurately and detailedly list the name, specifications, quantity, unit price, total price, country of origin and other information of the goods, and be signed and stamped by the exporter. This is an important basis for the customs to determine the value of the goods and levy customs duties. For enterprises like WanHao, ensuring the accuracy of the invoice information is crucial, otherwise it may lead to delays in customs clearance or additional costs.

• Bill of Lading: The ocean bill of lading needs to show key information such as the shipper, consignee, notify party, ship's name, voyage number, port of loading, port of discharge, and description of the goods. For goods transported by Ocean FCL and Ocean LCL, the bill of lading is the proof of ownership of the goods and the proof of the transportation contract. The customs will strictly check the consistency of the information on the bill of lading with that of other documents.

• Certificate of Origin: It clearly indicates the country of origin of the goods. For goods under free trade agreements or preferential trade arrangements signed between Bangladesh and some countries, the certificate of origin is a necessary document for enjoying preferential customs duties. For example, if the country of origin of the goods of the WanHao enterprise meets the relevant agreement provisions, it can reduce the cost of import customs duties by virtue of the certificate of origin.

• Packing List: It should detail the contents of each packaging unit, the type of packaging, size, weight, etc., which helps the customs accurately inspect the quantity and packaging of the goods and prevent smuggling and false reporting of goods information. Whether for Ocean FCL or Ocean LCL transportation, an accurate packing list is required.

• Import License (for Specific Goods): For some controlled commodities, such as certain chemicals, weapons and ammunition, importers need to obtain an import license issued by the relevant departments of Bangladesh in advance. The customs will check the validity and compliance of the license during customs clearance. If the WanHao enterprise involves the import of such special goods, it must apply for the relevant license in advance.

2. Customs Clearance Process

• Declaration: The importer or his agent needs to submit customs clearance documents and goods declaration information, including detailed descriptions of the goods, value, quantity, country of origin, etc., through the customs electronic declaration system of Bangladesh before the goods arrive at the ports of Bangladesh. The customs system will conduct a preliminary review of the declared information to check the completeness of the documents and the rationality of the data. For goods transported by Air freight, due to their timeliness, the timeliness of customs clearance declaration is even more critical, otherwise it may lead to the goods being detained in the airport warehouse and incurring high costs.

• Inspection: Based on the declared situation, the customs may decide to inspect the goods. Inspection methods include manual inspection and equipment inspection. During manual inspection, customs officials will check whether the actual packaging, quantity, quality, markings, etc. of the goods are consistent with the declared documents. Equipment inspection may use X-ray machines and other equipment to check whether there are contraband items or unreported items inside the goods. For goods transported by Ocean FCL and Ocean LCL, the customs will determine the inspection ratio according to the risk assessment. Large containers may be randomly inspected, and goods with doubts will be inspected intensively.

• Tax and Fee Calculation and Payment: The customs will calculate the customs duties, value-added tax and other taxes and fees that need to be paid according to factors such as the type, value, origin of the goods and the applicable tariff rates. After receiving the tax and fee notice from the customs, the importer needs to pay the taxes and fees through bank transfer or other means within the specified time. For high-value goods imported by Air freight, since the value of the goods is high, the amounts of customs duties and value-added tax may be large, and enterprises need to make financial arrangements in advance.

• Release: After confirming that the declared information of the goods is accurate, the taxes and fees have been paid and there are no other violations, the customs will stamp and release the bill of lading or other relevant documents, and the goods can be picked up from the port or airport and transported to the location designated by the importer. For goods transported by Ocean LCL, unpacking and sorting of the goods in the LCL warehouse are also required before they can be delivered to the final consignee.