Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), the state-owned maritime operator, has unveiled plans to procure 22 new mother vessels worth Tk 10,000 crore, aiming to strengthen the country’s control over seaborne trade.
If realized over the next five years, the initiative will significantly expand the presence of Bangladeshi-flagged ships in import-export operations, conserve foreign currency, generate revenue, and create new employment and training opportunities for seafarers, officials said.
BSC plans to fund the procurement partly through its own resources and partly via government-to-government agreements, sourcing vessels from South Korea and China. Currently, Bangladesh has 104 Bangladeshi-flagged mother vessels, which handle only 11–12% of the nation’s trade.
A milestone in BSC’s 54-year history came last October when it independently purchased the cargo ship Banglar Pragati, marking the first ship bought solely with its own funds.
“Historically, this is the first time a ship has been purchased with our own funds,” BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek told UNB. He added that Banglar Nobojatra would join the fleet by the end of December, and two new cargo ships with capacities of 55,000–66,000 tons are expected to generate annual revenues of Tk 150–200 crore. “Currently, our fleet has six ships, and we plan to expand it to 22 mother vessels over the next five years,” he said.
Industry experts stressed the importance of fleet expansion to reduce reliance on foreign carriers. Engineer Mahbubur Rahman, vice president of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers’ Association, noted that international standards recommend domestic carriers handle 40% of trade. “Considering Bangladesh’s growing import-export needs, more vessels are required,” he said.
BSC’s fleet has declined over the years due to aging ships, mismanagement, and incidents including a missile strike during the Russia-Ukraine war, leaving the corporation with just six ships today.
Commodore Amin Ahmed Abdullah of Chittagong Port Authority said increasing domestic-flagged vessels would boost Bangladesh’s competitiveness and efficiency in international trade. Shafiqul Alam Jewel, former vice president of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents’ Association, added that BSC vessels should be deployed on domestic routes to better serve national economic interests.
BSC reported a record Tk 250 crore profit last year. The planned acquisition of 22 mother vessels is seen as a strategic effort to reclaim the corporation’s maritime significance while contributing to Bangladesh’s economic growth.
Source: UNB
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
