Chattogram
UN/LOCODE BDCGP · Bangladesh · IMO-designated crew-change hub
Why this port is a crew-change hub
Chattogram is one of 115 ports named in IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1636 as a designated crew-change hub. Ports made the list on the basis of accessible international airports, established agent networks, welfare-centre infrastructure, and — during the pandemic — visa-facilitation frameworks that allowed sign-on and sign-off crew to transit without lengthy quarantine. That combination continues to make these ports the practical corridors most seafarers move through today.
Airport and transit
Nearest major airport for crew changes is Shah Amanat International Airport (CGP), roughly 10 km from the port. Confirm the exact terminal handover point with the ship's agent — many hubs have multiple terminals with different immigration processes.
Shore leave and practical briefing
Chittagong is Bangladesh's principal port, handling almost all the country's foreign trade. Shore leave is granted with a seaman's book + shore pass under Bangladeshi procedure. Welfare provision via Mission to Seafarers Chittagong + Stella Maris Chittagong — Chittagong has a long-established seafarer-welfare network reflecting Bangladesh's huge seafarer-export economy.