Danish shipping giant Maersk is set to invest US$550 million in developing and operating the Laldia Container Terminal (LCT) in Chattogram through its subsidiary APM Terminals B.V., marking the largest-ever European investment in Bangladesh.

Officials announced in Dhaka on Wednesday that the public-private partnership (PPP) agreement between APM Terminals and the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) will be signed next week. The 30-year concession deal, with extensions tied to performance, will allow the company to design, finance, build, and manage the terminal independently.

“This entire amount will enter Bangladesh as foreign direct investment over the next three years,” said Chowdhury Ashik Bin Haroon, Chairman of the PPP Authority and Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority.

Located along the Karnaphuli River near the Bay of Bengal, the terminal is expected to ease longstanding congestion at Chattogram port and enable larger vessels to dock directly for international trade.

Under the agreement, APM Terminals will pay Tk 250 crore in signing money to the CPA. While ownership will remain with the port authority, the company and its local joint-venture partner will oversee construction and operations, reducing government expenditure and expediting completion.

Officials said the Laldia project signifies rising investor confidence in Bangladesh’s logistics infrastructure and could pave the way for further foreign investments in manufacturing and related services.