http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=154531
Local shipbuilding sector to save foreign currencies
ECONOMIC REPORTER
Minister for Shipping Shajahan Khan on Saturday said country would save huge foreign currencies, as a local shipbuilding company Western Marine Limited, was building a Ro-Ro ferry for the first time in Bangladesh.
Terming this a milestone for domestic ship building industry, the minister said the country had to procure such kind of vessel from Europe in the past since there was no large, sophisticated and technologically modern shipbuilding companies here capable of building specialized vessel, says a press release.
“It will help the country to save huge foreign currencies since we have to buy those vessels in foreign currencies,” the minister said while inaugurating the keel-laying of the Ro-Ro ferry at the Western Marine’s shipyard at Kolagaon Union under Patiya Upazila in Chittagong Minister as the chief guest.
Country’s leading ship building company Western Marine Shipyard Limited is building the Ro-Ro ferry for Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at a cost of Tk 29 crore after winning a competitive bidding.
The ferry with the capacity of carrying 20 heavy vehicles, 340 passengers and 25 crews is expected to be delivered by December 2010. The vessel will be build under the supervision of classification society Germanischer lloyd .
After completion, the Ro-Ro ferry will be commissioned at the Charjanajat Ferry terminal in Munshiganj for transportation of passengers and vehicles.
Acknowledging contribution of Western Marine in flourishing the ship building sector, the shipping minister said that Bangladesh had made strong foothold in global shipbuilding industry within short time and building of Ro-Ro ferry will take it to another step of accomplishment.
Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury, Member of Parliament from Patiya, Abdul Mannan Howlader, secretary of Ministry of Shipping, Golam Mostafa Kamal, chairman of BIWTC and Commodore R. U. Ahmed, chairman of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) also delivered their speech at the ceremony as the special guests.
Earlier, Western Marine chairman Saiful Islam and managing director Sakhawat Hossain welcomed the guests at the shipyard.
