 | Container scanner to be installed at port Saturday
08 January, 2009
The country's first container inspection system will start functioning at the Chittagong Port Saturday next.
The inspection system is being introduced to ensure safety of cargo before shipment. This has been done following instructions by importing US and European nations. They have asked all the countries concerned to install container scanners at their harbours after the 9/11 incident as a safety measure.
"One scanner is now ready to provide services. We have set Saturday as a tentative date for commissioning of the scanner, mounted on a vehicle," said Moazzem Hossain, project director of port trade facilitation of the national board of revenue.
However, three more container scanners will be installed shortly.
Moazzem said: "We have already received the three scanners, which will be installed in February," he added.
The four container scanners have been procured at a cost of Tk 430 million. SGS Bangladesh, a pre-shipment inspection company, is supplying the devices and it will also operate and maintain them for a period of six years.
The Bangladesh government, which is financing the project, will spend a total of Tk1.02 billion for a period of six years.
However, the project director said the NBR will decide the date for formal inauguration in February.
Port officials said the mobile scanner will be able to scan at least 25 per cent of cargoes in containers.
SGS Bangladesh has procured the equipment from Nuctech, a Chinese-government owned entity, which claims that a total of 82 countries of the world have procured the equipment from it.
However, European Union has made the installation of the scanning devices mandatory at all ports by 2009, while the USA deadline has been set for 2010.
Release link:http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.info/2009/01/08/55409.html
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