Frozen goods export in Bangladesh faces reefer container shortage

A shortage of reefer containers, for the markets of Europe and the United States in particular, has added to the concerns of frozen food exporters, who are already troubled with rising freight charges. Delay in clearing import load containers by the Chattogram port authority, booking time delay, conversion of reefer containers for RMG exports are major reasons behind the apparent shortage, according to frozen food exporters. Besides, many of the available reefer containers, used for frozen goods' exports, are regionally restricted, and therefore cannot be used for exports to countries in Europe and to the United States. According to a port authority source, the number of 20-feet and 40-feet reefer containers, stationed at three port yards, are 21 and 1101, respectively, as of 4 November, which means 2223 TEUs of the port capacity of 2620 TEUs are occupied . Ashraf Hossain Masud, owner of Masud Fish Processing and Ice Complex Ltd, said that the charges of reefer containers have ...