Export-oriented shipbuilding company Western Marine Shipyard Limited has handed over three landing-craft vessels to the UAE-based company Marwan Shipping Limited.
The vessels were handed over on Thursday (20 November) at noon during a ceremony held on the newly built landing craft Maya on the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram. The three landing crafts handed over that day are Maya, SMS Emi, and Muna.
In 2023, Western Marine Shipyard signed an agreement with Marwan Shipping Limited to build eight vessels, including two tugboats, four landing crafts, and two tankers.
At the event, the UAE Ambassador Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Hammoudi said that the commercial relationship between the two companies of the two countries would further strengthen their friendship. He expressed hope that more ships would be exported from Bangladesh to the UAE in the future.
Abdur Rahim Khan, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and administrator of FBCCI, said that Western Marine Shipyard has long been contributing to the shipbuilding industry, which is an important part of Bangladesh’s export diversification.
Western Marine Shipyard Chairman Saiful Islam said that Bangladesh has long been dependent on a single export product. “We should move toward diversified export products and destinations. Shipbuilding is a labor-intensive, high-tech heavy industry. By exporting ships, we can earn a large amount of foreign currency and contribute significantly to the national economy,” he said.
Western Marine Shipyard Limited’s Managing Director, Captain Sohel Hasan, said that Bangladesh has skilled manpower in this sector, while global demand for new vessels is increasing and many countries are facing manpower shortages. “Long-term capital allocation is needed for the development of this industry in the country. With that support, it will be possible to meet growing global demand and play a significant role in increasing national exports,” he said.
Earlier, in January this year, a landing craft named Ryan and in July two tugboats named Khalid and Ghaya were handed over to Marwan Shipping Limited.
At the ceremony, it was stated that the landing crafts will be used to transport equipment in the offshore energy sector.
Since its establishment, Western Marine Shipyard has exported 36 vessels to 11 countries, with a total market value of 138 million USD.
