The Coal Power Generation Company Limited (CPGCL) has rejected a shipment of 63,000 tonnes of coal due to excessive soil contamination, rendering it unsuitable for use at the Matarbari Power Plant in Cox's Bazar. Following the decision, the vessel carrying the cargo was sent back to the outer anchorage of Chattogram port, reads a TBS report.
The coal, sourced from Indonesia by an India-based company that secured the tender, was found to contain an unusually high amount of soil. "We declined to receive the shipment and issued an official letter to the supplier on Friday," said Nazmul Huq, executive director of the Matarbari coal-fired plant project, speaking to TBS.
The Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Plant at Matarbari, covering 1,600 acres along the Bay of Bengal, has a capacity of 1,200MW. Its first unit commenced commercial production in December 2022, followed by the second unit in August 2023.
The rejected shipment arrived aboard the Singapore-flagged MV Orient Orchid, which entered the Matarbari Channel on 17 March. Operated by Meghna Group of Companies, the vessel was redirected to the outer anchorage following instructions from CPGCL and the shipping company handling the cargo. Meghna Group's deputy general manager for shipping operations, Ujjal Kanti Barua, declined to comment, stating that discussions with the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) were ongoing.
Port officials reported significant operational issues during unloading, with a conveyor belt frequently breaking down due to excessive soil mixed with the shipment. "During unloading, we found mostly soil rather than coal," said a CPA official, speaking anonymously.
CPA dock master Captain Abu Sufian confirmed that the vessel was directed to the outer anchorage in accordance with instructions from the shipping company, following CPGCL's rejection of the contaminated coal.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
