Ahead of Ramadan each year, large volumes of essential commodities are imported. This year, however, imports have surpassed all previous records.

As a result, the entire supply chain—from unloading goods from mother vessels to transporting them to factories or warehouses—has come under severe pressure. The situation has become even more complicated due to a shortage of lighter vessels used for river transport.

People involved in port operations say many new companies have increased imports of essential commodities this year. But a large number of these firms lack adequate warehousing or storage facilities.

As a result, after goods are transferred from large vessels to lighter ships, they cannot be unloaded quickly at river terminals. This causes lighter vessels to remain stuck for extended periods.

At the same time, rising imports have increased demand for lighter vessels, further worsening the shortage.