Overview of the Pashur Channel dredging project
Mongla Port is Bangladesh's second-largest port and a critical export-import gateway for the southwest Khulna region. However, sediment deposition in the Pashur River route has reduced the approach depth to roughly -5 to -6 meters, limiting entry for large vessels. The Pashur Channel Dredging project, led by the Mongla Port Authority (MPA), aims to secure channel depth to -9.0 meters (CD), enabling regular berthing for 15,000DWT ships and is positioned as a strategic marine infrastructure initiative to double port cargo handling capacity.
75km
Channel length
Mongla→Bay of Bengal
-9.0m
Target depth
designated on CD datum
50M m³
Dredged volume
initial dredging
USD 550M
Project value
about Tk 66B
8M m³/year
Maintenance dredging
annual recurring
WB+MPA
Financing
sovereign loan+own funds
Dredging plan and contract package structure
Main Pashur Channel dredging packages
| Package | Section | Length (km) | Dredged volume | Amount | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD-1 | Mongla→Chalna | 20 | 15M m³ | USD 150M | TSHD |
| CD-2 | Chalna→Hiron Point | 30 | 20M m³ | USD 200M | TSHD + CSD |
| CD-3 | Hiron Point→Outer waters | 25 | 15M m³ | USD 120M | TSHD |
| MT | Maintenance dredging (5 years) | whole channel | 8M m³/year | USD 50M/year | TSHD |
| NAV | Navigation aids | whole channel | Buoys + lighthouses | USD 30M | installation |
Technical specifications and dredging methods
Dredging equipment and methods
TSHD6,000~10,000m³ class
CSD800kW cutterhead class
Spoil areaoffshore disposal at sea
Project durationinitial 36 months
Channel characteristics
Current depth-5~6m (CD)
Target depth-9.0m (CD)
Channel width150m (single lane)
Max vessel size15,000DWT
01
Strategic role of Mongla Port
Mongla Port is Bangladesh's second major port after Chattogram and serves as the main export-import entry point for the southwest hinterland (Khulna, Jessore, Rajshahi). Since the opening of the Padma Bridge in 2022, connectivity to Dhaka has improved markedly, and cargo throughput has risen. However, sedimentation in the Pashur Channel leaves practical draft at only around -5m, meaning roughly 30% of the port's capacity is currently utilized.
02
Sedimentation drivers and necessity of maintenance dredging
The Pashur River is a tidally influenced channel crossing the Sundarbans mangrove belt; monsoonal upstream inflow and tidal motion are estimated to deposit about 12M m³ of sediment annually. Even after an initial dredging volume of 50M m³, 8M m³ per year must be dredged for maintenance, with a dedicated 5-year maintenance package budgeted at USD 50M annually.
03
Opportunities for Korean firms
(1) TSHD dredging: Korean dredging contractors such as Korea Construction C Marine and Korea E&C have operational capacity in TSHD fleets. (2) CSD vessel construction: Korean shipyards can supply CSD manufacturing know-how. (3) Navigation aids: Korean marine equipment firms can provide LED buoys, lighthouses, and AIS systems. (4) Hydrographic surveying: Korean bathymetric survey companies can deliver multibeam and seabed profiling services. (5) Maintenance dredging long-term O&M contracts: a stable recurring revenue path through multi-year service operations.
04
Risks and environmental constraints
(1) Sundarbans environment: proximity to UNESCO world heritage demands strict environmental impact assessment and disposal area selection. (2) Monsoon operations: increased swell and flow from June to September reduce the effective working window to about eight months. (3) Continuous sedimentation: annual funds for maintenance dredging must be secured and MPA fiscal sustainability validated. (4) Sediment characteristics: clayey silt is prone to rapid re-deposition, requiring a robust spoil management plan.
Implementation timeline
2023
WB feasibility study completed
→↓
2024
WB loan approval
→↓
2025
Tendering for CD-1 and CD-2
→↓
2026~27
Initial dredging works
→↓
2028
CD-3 and NAV completion
→↓
2029~
Start of maintenance dredging
Jamuna River levee protection and navigation projectComparable river infrastructure program
Coastal Embankment Improvement Phase IICoastal infrastructure protection works
The Pashur Channel dredging project is a foundational infrastructure prerequisite for accelerating Mongla Port activity. Valued at around USD 550M, it is a large-scale marine-construction initiative. Restoring the channel to -9 meters would enable regular calls by 15,000DWT vessels, and Korean companies could pursue opportunities across TSHD dredging, navigation-support equipment, and long-term maintenance dredging contracts.
DredgingMonglaPortsPashurMarine Construction
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