http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/search_index.php?page=detail_news&news_id=33672
First ship built locally handed over to Danes
FE Report
An ocean-going vessel built by Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Ltd, first by a Bangladeshi company in many years for an overseas buyer, was handed over Thursday to its Danish owner in a formal ceremony at Meghnaghat Shipyard.
Denmark’s Stella Shipping purchased the 3000-tonne capacity vessel at a cost of US$7.0 million under an agreement signed with the Ananda Shipyard in September 31, 2005.
“It’s a historic moment for us. We have uncovered one of the many potential sectors in Bangladesh,” Hossain Zillur Rahman, adviser of the Ministry of Commerce, said at the handing over ceremony.
It is the beginning of Ananda that has struck deals worth around $225 million to build at least 24 such vessels, including six ferries, for leading companies in Denmark, Germany and Mozambique.
Ananda, the country’s pioneer shipbuilding company, received the Century Golden Award for quality for 2008 in Geneva.
The company that started its journey about 25 years ago has so far built 300 watercrafts, including coastal vessels.
The adviser said the shipbuilding sector has immense potentialities. It can generate revenue and employment, and help transfer of technology by attracting foreign direct investment.
“I invite the shipping companies worldwide to take advantage of our cost effective production environment,” he said and added: “I thank Stella Shipping and its management for creating this opportunity for our nation.”
Einar Hebogaard Jensen, ambassador of Denmark to Dhaka, said shipbuilding industry in Bangladesh is turning out to be a promising export sector.
Referring to Ananda Shipyard’s agreement with Danish ship consortium, he said with successful materialisation of the deal the Ananda Shipyard has become a serious player in the international shipbuilding industry, capable of competing with Chinese and Vietnamese shipbuilders.
For Bangladesh, the Danish ambassador said, this sector holds a bright future in the areas of technology transfer, export revenues, job creation.
“Bangladesh has now joined those nations which have the capability to export sophisticated technology and engineering products such as the ocean-going ship to the global market,” Nurul Amin, secretary of the Ministry of Industries, said.
He said: “After readymade garments ship building is another high potential sector.”
At least three more companies are building slipways and shipyards and they will be ready for manufacturing vessels by the year-end. Several others have expressed their interest to join the lucrative industry.
Two more companies — Western Marine and Highspeed– have joined Ananda in receiving orders to build ships for European buyers.
“We have created history for the country,” Abdullahhel Bari, chairman of Ananda said. Ananda’s managing director Afruza Bari said: “We have already enhanced our capacity three times due to the increased orders.”
“This ship is a prime example of what we are now able to do. Through the vessel, Bangladesh will officially become an ocean-going shipbuilding nation. It has put Bangladesh on the global shipbuilding map,” said Bari.
