Bangladesh: Western Marine Builds Two Passenger Vessels for BIWTC

Western Marine has inaugurated the construction work of two passenger vessels having the carrying capacity of 750 passengers (each ship) through a keel laying ceremony on the 29th of November 2012 in the shipyard premises located in Patiya. This is the first passenger ship of this capacity that will be built by a local shipbuilder.

The Shipping Minister, Mr. Shajahan Khan (MP) was the Chief Guest in the ceremony. As Special Guests Mr. Syed Monjurul Islam, Secretary In-Charge for Shipping Ministry; and Mr. Mojibor Rahman, Chairman of BIWTC were present at the occasion.

These ships will be serving the passengers in one of busiest river route in Bangladesh, Dhaka to Barisal. New building of these ships is an initiative by the government to enhance the inland waterway transportation system of Bangladesh. It is believed addition of these two ships will reduce this crisis of traffic congestion & people will be more interested in travelling by river routes.

Western Marine Managing Director, Sakhawat Hossain said: “This project is a challenge for Western Marine as the ships are to be delivered by September 2013“. He also said, “in the past we had delivered many ships for government use on time, we will also be able to do the same this time if government can protect the brain drainage from our shipyard by preventing manning agencies from migration of our shipbuilding experts unlawfully.”

[mappress]

Press Release, November 29, 2012