Bangladesh Accelerates Port Upgrades: Chattogram Targets Congestion, Deepwater Port Set to Handle Larger Bulk Carriers孟加拉加快港口升级：吉大港有望缓解拥堵，深水港瞄准大型散货船

Bangladesh is stepping up investment in its port infrastructure, with Chattogram, Mongla and Matarbari among the ports undergoing expansion, dredging and capacity upgrades under the government’s 2026/27 fiscal-year plans.

The objective is to increase port capacity and improve navigational access while easing the draft and vessel-size constraints that currently affect Bangladesh’s main gateways.

For dry bulk operators, however, the changes are taking place on different timelines. Chattogram remains the country’s primary port, Matarbari is being developed to accommodate larger vessels, while Mongla is already seeing the benefits of channel dredging and improved access.

The impact on the dry bulk market is unlikely to emerge all at once. In the near term, draft restrictions, tidal conditions and anchorage operations will continue to determine how vessels call at Bangladeshi ports. Over the medium term, deeper water and expanded facilities could lead to greater differentiation in vessel deployment on the same trades.

For that reason, shipowners operating grain, coal, fertilizer and other bulk trades from Australia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and the Black Sea to Bangladesh may want to reassess destination-port conditions.

9月22日，孟加拉国政府公布的2026/27财年相关计划显示，吉大港（Chattogram）、蒙格拉（Mongla）、马塔尔巴里（Matarbari）等港口都在推进扩建、疏浚或能力提升，政府希望通过增加港口能力和改善航道条件，缓解现有港口对船型和吃水的限制。

对于散货船东来，说几个港口的变化并不同步。吉大港仍是主港，马塔尔巴里解决的是大型船舶直靠能力，蒙格拉则已经通过疏浚逐步扩大可进港船型。

这种变化对散货市场的影响不会一次性出现。短期看，吃水、潮汐和是否需要在锚地作业仍然决定船舶怎么跑；中期看，深水港和疏浚完成后，同一条货源航线可能出现更明显的船型分化。因此，澳大利亚、印尼、东南亚、南亚、中东以及黑海方向驶往孟加拉国的散货航次，都有必要重新看一遍目的港条件。

Chattogram: Easing Congestion Before Unlocking More Capacity、

吉大港：先解决“拥堵”，再释放港口能力

Chattogram remains Bangladesh’s main international trade gateway, handling the majority of the country’s containerized and bulk imports and exports.

The navigable channel of the Karnaphuli River currently has depths of around 8.5–10 metres, placing constraints on vessel draft. Larger bulk carriers therefore need to plan calls around tidal windows, cargo intake and berth-specific conditions.

The outer anchorage has also experienced several vessel collisions this year. Congestion, strong tidal currents and limited anchorage space have been cited by shipping industry participants as contributing factors.

吉大港（Chattogram）仍是孟加拉国最主要的国际贸易港，承担孟加拉国大部分集装箱和散货进出口。当前Karnaphuli航道水深约8.5—10米，船舶进港受到吃水限制，大型散货船需要结合潮汐、货量和实际靠泊条件安排。

与此同时，吉大港外锚地今年多次发生船舶碰撞，港口拥堵、强潮流以及锚地空间有限被航运界认为是重要影响因素。

In September, the port authority proposed extending its maritime jurisdiction by 10 nautical miles to the north and is studying the addition of new anchorage areas. The aim is to spread vessel traffic and improve navigational safety.

For the time being, Chattogram will remain one of the most important destinations for bulk carriers calling Bangladesh. However, the port’s current draft limitations leave limited room for larger vessels to enter fully laden.

For Panamax, Kamsarmax and larger bulk carriers, fixing decisions therefore need to go beyond the port name. Shipowners and charterers should confirm the specific berth, tidal window, permitted draft and whether cargo operations may require lightering or partial discharge at anchorage.

9月，港务局提出将海事管辖范围向北扩大10海里，并研究增加新的锚地，以分散船舶流量、改善航行安全。

因此，短期内吉大港仍然是孟加拉国散货船最重要的目的港之一，但大船直接满载进入的空间有限。对于Panamax、Kamsarmax以及更大型散货船，订船和配载时不能只看港口名称，还需要确认具体泊位、到港潮汐、允许吃水以及是否需要在锚地进行卸货或轻量化作业。

Matarbari: A New Gateway for Larger Bulk Carriers

马塔尔巴里：大型散货船的新目的港

Matarbari Deep Sea Port is the project with the greatest potential impact on vessel size among Bangladesh’s current port developments.

The government is targeting completion and commencement of operations around 2029–2030, with the approach channel designed for a depth of approximately 16 metres. In July, the government said the completed port would be capable of receiving vessels of around 100,000 tonnes directly.

Deeper water could create more opportunities for direct calls by larger bulk carriers transporting coal, grain, fertilizer and other commodities, potentially reducing reliance on shallower ports and intermediate cargo-handling arrangements.

For shipowners serving Bangladesh from Australia, Indonesia, South Africa and the Middle East, the port’s eventual operating parameters will be worth monitoring well ahead of commissioning, particularly its vessel-size limits, cargo intake and berth availability.

马塔尔巴里深水港是这轮港口升级中对散货船型影响最大的项目。孟加拉国政府目前计划在2029-2030年完成建设及投入运营，航道设计水深约16米，政府今年7月表示，港口建成后可直接接收约10万吨级货船。

深水条件改善后，煤炭、粮食、化肥等大宗货物有望获得更多大型散货船直靠的条件，也可能减少部分货物对浅水港和中转环节的依赖。对于澳大利亚、印尼、南非及中东至孟加拉国的相关航线，船东可以提前关注港口投运后的船型选择、装载量以及挂靠安排。

Mongla: More Room for Vessels with 9–9.5 Metre Drafts

蒙格拉：9—9.5米吃水船型已经出现更多空间

Mongla Port handles bulk cargo, general cargo and some container traffic. Its current upgrade programme has focused heavily on dredging the approach channel to improve navigational access.

Following recent dredging, vessels with drafts of around 9 metres can access the port, while some anchorage areas can accommodate vessels drawing up to approximately 9.5 metres.

That gives some previously draft-constrained vessels greater operational flexibility.

Unlike Matarbari, which is still under development, Mongla’s improved access is already being reflected in vessel operations. Over the next one to two years, the market will be able to see more clearly how additional draft availability affects cargo volumes, vessel intake and trade patterns for 9–9.5 metre draft bulk carriers.

For shipowners, deeper and more stable navigable water can provide greater draft margins and expand the operating window for some vessel types. From a navigational perspective, improved channel depth may reduce some of the constraints associated with shallow-water operations, although collision risk remains dependent on factors including tidal currents, vessel density, anchorage management and traffic control.

Studies of the Pussur River have also identified continuing siltation, making maintenance dredging and long-term channel management important factors for the port’s future performance.

蒙格拉港（Mongla Port）主要承担散货、一般货物和部分集装箱运输，目前港口升级的重点是通过航道疏浚改善船舶进港条件。

最新疏浚后的航道已经允许9米吃水船舶进出，部分锚地可达到9.5米吃水，意味着此前受吃水限制的部分船型获得了更大的操作空间。相比仍处于建设阶段的马塔尔巴里，蒙格拉的变化已经开始体现在实际船舶运营中，未来一两年可以重点观察9—9.5米吃水散货船对应的货流、装载量和航线安排。

对船东而言，航道加深首先意味着船舶进出港时拥有更大的吃水余量，部分受限制船型的操作空间也会扩大。从安全角度看，更稳定的航深有助于降低浅水区航行和受限操纵带来的风险，但碰撞风险还受到潮流、船舶密度、锚地组织和航道管理等因素影响。Pussur River的相关研究也显示，该水道存在持续回淤问题，因此后续维护疏浚和航道管理同样重要。

Which Cargoes and Trade Routes Should Be Watched?

可以提前盯住哪些货物和航线

Taken together, the three port developments point to several cargoes worth monitoring, including coal, grain, fertilizer, clinker, cement raw materials and stone.

These commodities are typically moved in large parcels and are particularly sensitive to vessel size and draft restrictions. As ports become capable of handling larger vessels, both cargo intake per voyage and destination-port selection could change.

Coal and grain trades are particularly relevant.

Australia, Indonesia and South Africa already have established bulk shipping links with Bangladesh. If Matarbari develops into a reliable deepwater gateway for larger vessels, shipowners will be able to reassess the economics of deploying Capesize, Panamax and larger Ultramax vessels on these trades.

Fertilizer is another trade to watch, particularly on routes from the Middle East to Bangladesh and from the Black Sea and Mediterranean to Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a major fertilizer-importing market, and improved draft availability could create more opportunities to move large fertilizer parcels on larger bulk carriers.

The Southeast Asia–Bangladesh trade also deserves attention. Indonesia and Malaysia are important regional sources of coal and other bulk commodities, as well as relatively close suppliers to Bangladesh. For Supramax, Ultramax and Panamax operators, improvements in port access could affect vessel utilization, port selection and round-voyage combinations on these regional trades.

把几个港口放在一起看，煤炭、粮食、化肥、熟料、水泥原料和石材仍然是需要重点观察的货种。这些货物本身具有批量大、对船型和吃水较敏感的特点，港口一旦能够接纳更大船舶，单航次装载量和港口选择就可能出现调整。

其中，煤炭和粮食航线尤其值得提前关注。澳大利亚、印尼、南非等主要散货货源地与孟加拉国之间已经形成稳定的海运联系，未来如果马塔尔巴里能够稳定接靠更大船型，船东可以重新比较Capesize、Panamax以及较大型Ultramax在这些航线上的经济性。

化肥则可以重点观察中东—孟加拉国以及黑海、地中海—孟加拉国方向的货流。孟加拉国本身就是重要的化肥进口市场，港口吃水改善后，大宗化肥货物采用更大船型运输的空间也会增加。

另外一个值得提前观察的是东南亚—孟加拉国航线。印尼、马来西亚等地不仅是煤炭和其他散货的重要供应地，也是孟加拉国近距离进口的重要来源。对于Supramax、Ultramax和Panamax而言，未来港口条件改善后，这些区域航线的装载率、靠港选择以及往返组合都可能出现新的调整。

Port Upgrades Will Take Time, but Route Planning Can Start Now

港口升级还需要时间，航线布局可以提前看

The three projects are still at different stages of development, and it would be premature to make major fleet deployment decisions based solely on any single project.

For shipowners and charterers, a more practical approach is to incorporate destination-port draft limits, actual vessel acceptance criteria and cargo intake into the assessment of each Bangladesh voyage.

The same trade could eventually support different vessel deployment strategies: smaller bulk carriers may continue serving shallower ports, while deeper-water facilities gradually attract larger vessels. Likewise, a single commodity could eventually be distributed among several Bangladeshi ports rather than relying on one primary gateway.

这些项目距离完全形成新的港口格局还有一段时间，所以现阶段没有必要因为单个项目就直接改变船队配置。对船东和租家来说，更实际的是把目的港吃水、实际可接船型和装货量放进每一票孟加拉航次的评估里。

同一条货源航线，未来可能出现不同的配船方式：浅水港继续由中小型散货船承担，深水港逐步吸引更大船型；同一种货物，也可能从原来的单一目的港变成几个港口之间重新分配。

Three developments will be particularly important to monitor:

1. Actual growth in vessel calls involving 9–9.5 metre drafts at Mongla;
2. The commissioning schedule and final vessel restrictions at Matarbari;
3. The actual vessel acceptance and operating conditions at new facilities around Chattogram.

For shipowners planning Bangladesh voyages, these operational details may ultimately matter more than the headline capacity figures attached to the port upgrade projects.

因此，目前可以重点盯住三类变化：蒙格拉9—9.5米吃水船舶的实际增量、马塔尔巴里深水港投运时间及最终船型限制、吉大港湾区码头建成后的实际接船条件。

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References

• UNB: Govt steps up efforts to modernise shipping sector
• The Financial Express: Govt steps up efforts to modernise shipping sector
• BSS: Govt. taking steps to cut port logistics cost, speed up cargo handling
• BSS: Mongla Port earns record Tk 387.95cr revenue in FY26
• Voice7News: Mongla Port to Boost Capacity Through Dredging, Development Projects
• GAC: Newly dredged navigation channel
• The Business Standard: Matarbari Deep Sea Port to start commercial operations from 2030
• The Daily Star: Matarbari: The island where Bangladesh is building its economic future

参考文章

UNB :Govt steps up efforts to modernise shipping sector .

The Financial Express :Govt steps up efforts to modernise shipping sector .

BSS :Govt. taking steps to cut port logistics cost, speed up cargo handling .

BSS :Mongla Port earns record Tk 387.95cr revenue in FY26 .

Voice7News :Mongla Port to Boost Capacity Through Dredging, Development Projects .

GAC :Newly dredged navigation channel .

The Business Standard :Matarbari Deep Sea Port to start commercial operations from 2030 .

The Daily Star :Matarbari: The island where Bangladesh is building its economic future .

Disclaimer: The data and analysis presented in this article are based on publicly available information and industry research and are provided for industry discussion and reference only. They do not constitute investment advice or an operational commitment. The shipping market is influenced by multiple factors, including macroeconomic conditions, geopolitical developments and weather conditions, and remains subject to uncertainty. Readers should consider their own fleet structure, risk tolerance and the latest market information when making specific operational decisions.

*免责声明：本文所载数据及分析均基于公开信息和行业研究报告，仅供行业交流与参考，不构成任何投资建议或操作承诺。航运市场受宏观经济、地缘政治、天气变化等多重因素影响，存在不确定性。读者在制定具体经营决策时，应结合自身船队结构、风险承受能力及最新市场动态综合判断。