Eighty per cent of international trade worldwide by volume, and more than about 70 per cent by value, is carried by sea, and all that trade is conducted through sea and river ports around the world by means of various kinds of ship. Trade by shipping is the most economical, the safest, the most efficient and the most environmentally suitable way of carrying goods in bulk. More than 90 per cent of Bangladesh's external freight trade is seaborne, and continuing globalisation has made that flow more important still.
In building a skilled workforce for Bangladesh's seaports and in building the blue economy, Port Management and Logistics will play one of the most important roles.
Contents
- What is Port Management and Logistics?
- What is taught in Port Management and Logistics?
- Why study Port Management and Logistics?
- Is there scope for higher study abroad in Port Management and Logistics?
- Common misconceptions about the job market for Port Management and Logistics
- Where Port Management and Logistics graduates work
- Which universities in Bangladesh teach Port Management and Logistics?
- Final words
A port (Hamburg, Germany)
What is Port Management and Logistics?
‘Port Management and Logistics‘, or in Bengali ‘বন্দর ব্যবস্থাপনা ও সরবরাহ‘, is a subject of business administration. Essentially the education needed for port management is what is taught here, along with how the things at a port can be supplied properly. As mentioned above, a vast amount of commercial work is done from sea ports, so a skilled workforce is needed there. It is with that purpose that Port Management and Logistics is taught. The four-year programme awards a BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) degree.
What is taught in Port Management and Logistics?
A total of 39 subjects are taught in the four-year, 135-credit course. Of these there are 23 core courses, 8 foundation or basic courses of the general BBA, and 8 general science/humanities courses. There are also 2 lab courses and 5 development courses, among which 3 are compulsory study tours so that students can see and learn everything hands-on. The final semester has an internship and a thesis. Besides these subjects, three degree-related courses of the student's own choice must be taken at the university. All these courses are arranged to hold to international standards, so that students can broaden their own knowledge and also put their skills and knowledge to use at the international level.
Why study Port Management and Logistics?
The question ought not to be that, but rather ‘why would I not study this subject'. To find the answer, read the detail below. Once you have seen the enormous field of possibility here, the answer to ‘why study it?' will come of itself.
Is there scope for higher study abroad in Port Management and Logistics?
There are 12 maritime universities in the world so far, among which Bangladesh Maritime University is the world's 12th international maritime university. So studying here certainly brings special opportunities for higher study in BBA in Port Management and Logistics at the other maritime universities of the world — for instance World Maritime University, Shanghai Maritime University, Indian Maritime University and others. Beyond that, anyone who wishes can pursue higher study in shipping, transportation, maritime business, maritime tourism and several other general subjects. Besides these, the chance to study for a master's, an MBA, a PhD/MPhil or as a research assistant at other foreign universities remains open.
A cargo ship (Chattogram, Bangladesh)
Common misconceptions about the job market for Port Management and Logistics
There are some common misconceptions that you cannot get a job after studying this subject. But this is a sector that needs an enormous workforce, and the importance of the sector will not diminish even in the next 300 to 400 years. From ancient times all international trade has been conducted by sea, and with every passing day a vast skilled workforce is needed. Plenty of people are needed at every single stage in a port. In Bangladesh the amount of skilled labour in this sector is still very small indeed. So in building the blue economy the role of management and logistics will be immense.
Where Port Management and Logistics graduates work
As the saying goes, the job finds the skilled person. Study this subject and you will not have to worry about a job: make yourself skilled and there will be no shortage of work. But let's see what kinds of workplace are open after studying this subject.
Job opportunities at the country's 4 sea ports
1. Chattogram Port 2. Mongla Port 3. Payra Port 4. Matarbari Port Beyond these, studying this subject opens jobs in the management of river ports and land ports as well as airports.
Job opportunities at international sea ports
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- China
- Hong Kong
- Dubai
- Qatar
- Europe
- America
There are job opportunities at the sea ports of these and many other countries.
What posts are available at a port?
- Port authority
- Terminal manager
- Port administration and security
- Container layout manager
- Sourcing manager
- Sourcing and communications manager
- Port planner
- Port financial/investment analyst
- Commercial consultant
- One-stop service manager
Along with these, there are job opportunities in a variety of posts according to skill.
Public and private ICDs and ICTs/off-docks
A port
Job opportunities at public companies
- Pangaon Inland Container Terminal
- Kamalapur Inland Container Depot
Job opportunities at private companies
- BM Container Depot Limited
- A K Khan Container Terminal
- CTG Container Transportation Company Limited
- KDS Logistics
- Rupayan
- QNS Container Services Limited
- Port Link (MGH Group)
- Esack Brothers Group
- Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) Terminal
- Summit Alliance Container Terminal
and many other places besides.
Job opportunities at shipping companies
- Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (government)
- CMA CGM Shipping Ltd.
- COSCO Bangladesh Shipping Lines Ltd.
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics
- BS Shipping Lines Ltd.
- Akij Shipping
- K Line Bangladesh Ltd.
- Omera
- South Bangla Shipping Lines Ltd.
- MSC – Dhaka
- COSCO – Dhaka
- Trident Shipping Line Ltd.
- NMC Bangladesh Limited
Job opportunities at logistics companies
- Bashundhara Logistics
- ACI Logistics
- Navana Logistics
- Skylink Logistics Ltd.
- Avant Logistics
- Conveyor Logistics Ltd.
- Crown Logistics
- General Logistics Ltd.
- APL Logistics
- Global Logistics
- Vision Logistics
and other domestic and foreign logistics companies besides.
Job opportunities at freight forwarding companies
Multinational companies
- EUR Service Limited
- Kuehne + Nagel
- DHL
- DB Schenker
- Mangal Freight
- Damco
- FedEx
and various domestic freight forwarding companies.
Job opportunities in research and academia
University teaching
- Public
- Private
and at research institutions.
Instructor
- BMA (Bangladesh Marine Academy)
- BNA (Bangladesh Naval Academy)
- SOLAM
- Government marine academies
- Private marine academies
Cargo
Places where you can get a job as an executive —
- Commercial — the garment and textile industry
- Foreign client dealer at export and import companies
- Operations/shipping manager at manufacturing companies
- Foreign exchange office — banks
- Commercial manager — pharmaceutical companies
Government job opportunities
- All government ports — sea, river, land, air and so on
- Government shipping companies
- BCS (general)
- BCS (Maritime – proposed)
- MSP
- BIWTA, BIWTC, BAFFA
- Bangladesh Navy
Business/entrepreneurship
- Shipping agent
- Ship owner
- Cargo owner
- Manning agent
- C&F agent
- Ship broker
- Ship chandler
Beyond this, since the subject is a BBA, apart from all these workplaces there are also the workplaces of a general BBA: various government and private banks, multinational companies, and a variety of commerce and commercial roles. The more you build your own skills, the better the workplaces you will get the chance to work in.
Bangladesh Maritime University
Which universities in Bangladesh teach Port Management and Logistics?
At Bangladesh Maritime University — the only government maritime university in Bangladesh — an undergraduate (honours) programme in Port Management and Logistics opened in the 2018–19 academic year. Previously only “logistics” was taught in some private MBA and diploma programmes in Bangladesh; as the first government university in the country, Bangladesh Maritime University is at present the only place where this subject is taught.
Final words
If you have an interest in the sea, sea ports, international trade, imports and exports, trade with the outside world and maritime knowledge, and you want to make your own contribution to the country's blue economy, then this subject — Port Management and Logistics — is for you.
Md. Mirazul Islam
BBA in Port Management and Logistics (1st batch, 2018–19)
Department of Port and Shipping Management
Bangladesh Maritime University
