Reforms aiming at raising standard and efficiency had succeeded in bringing about a radical change in the Chittagong port activities in the last nine months, said Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Commodore M Faruque yesterday.

Under the reforms programme, round-the-clock operation in three shifts throughout the week and introduction of Integrated Window Berthing replacing stevedoring system speeded up the operational activities of the port, the CPA chief told a view exchange meeting with the media at Chittagong Port Training Academy.

During the period, the capacity of container yards of the port has been raised to 22,651 TEUs (twenty equivalent units) from 14,000 TEUs and the capacity of the yards will be raised to 30,000 TEUs by December, he said.

The chairman also informed that CPA introduced a One-stop service since Thursday for easing documentation process to ensure further standard of service.

At the request of BGMEA CPA also introduced a web-site from October 19 to inform the importer of the date of unstuffing and shed number of the LCL containers, he said.

CPA launched the One-Stop service to complete documentation within 30 minutes and electronic money transfer system to help payment of taxes while making arrangement for making FCL box delivery and LCL cargo within 6 hours and 1 hour, said the chairman.

To ease load of containers at the port CPA already provided no-objection for setting up more private inland container depots, he said.