The country’s largest dry port is ready to begin operations in Pasakha. Once operational, the Mega Dry Port is expected to change how goods entering Bhutan are cleared and handled, while easing pressure on Phuentshogling, the country’s main land entry point for trade.
Spread across more than 15 acres, the Nu 1.2bn facility brings key agencies involved in trade and cargo clearance under one roof.
It has offices for the Department of Revenue and Customs, the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority, police and clearing agents.
The port is expected to make cargo clearance more organised and reduce the movement of heavy vehicles through Phuentshogling.
“We began construction in October 2019. Over time, the project was carried out in six major packages, all of which were successfully completed despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and the recent global market disruptions caused by the ongoing wars in the West,” said Tshering Dorji, Executive Director of Hi-Tech Company Private Limited, the project developer.
According to the project developer, the port has three warehouses, or container freight stations, each covering more than 4,800 square metres.
There is also a container yard, cold storage facility, driver dormitory and canteen.
The Executive Director said, “The port has three major warehouse which we call container freight stations, each of which exceeds 4800 square metres, enabling it to handle 100 truckloads in a day. We also have an expansive container yard and a dedicated cold storage facility.”
The facility is expected to streamline cargo handling and cross-border supply chains.
However, the port is yet to open. Sources say stakeholder meetings are underway to finalise its management, after which operations are expected to begin.
For traders and transporters, the key question now is how soon the new facility can start handling cargo and how much it can ease congestion at the country’s busiest land entry point.
Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling
Edited by Sangay Chezom
