Chattogram Port faces renewed congestion as vessel waiting times and container handling delays continue, despite the National Board of Revenue (NBR) resuming operations on Sunday after nearly two weeks of protests.

NBR officials, who had been abstaining from work since May 14 over a proposed reform ordinance, returned following government assurances. However, the prolonged disruption has already strained port logistics.

The waiting time for ships at the outer anchorage has surged from two days to as long as seven, with container handling now taking over 72 hours, up from the usual 48.

Port users have raised concerns about potential supply chain disruptions ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, a peak period for trade and consumption.

“Each vessel is incurring around $100,000 in additional costs due to the delay,” said Muntasir Rubayat, head of operations at GBX Logistics, the local agent for the vessel MV SOL Promise, which waited seven days before berthing on Monday.

Currently, container yards at the port are operating at 82% capacity, far above the recommended 60% threshold needed for efficient operations. This has created a space crisis, slowing unloading activities.

Chattogram Port Authority spokesperson Md Nasir Uddin attributed the backlog to the customs officials’ work stoppage and added that efforts are underway to ease the congestion.

Business groups are urging swift action to restore normal operations and avoid further economic fallout.