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Bangladesh on Tuesday exported a locally built 6100-tonne load capacity high-speed multipurpose container ship to the UK.
This is the largest container ship built in the country that has been exported, according to the ship's builder.
Ananda Shipyard, a Bangladeshi shipbuilding company, has built the ship as per the requirements of UK-based Enzian Shipping Company Ltd.
The vessel was officially handed over today through a ceremony held at InterContinental Dhaka. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury was present as the chief guest at the function, reports UNB.
The National Board of Revenue's Member (Customs Policy) Hossain Ahmed; Director General of Shipping Directorate, Commodore Nizamul Haque; Islami Bank Managing Director and CEO Monirul Mawla; Chairman of Ananda Shipyard, Dr Abdullahel Bari, and Managing Director Afroza Bari also spoke in the function.
Dr Abdullahel Bari said that the ship is 364 feet long, 54 feet wide and 27 feet high. The ship's engine capacity is 4130 horsepower, speed is 12.5 nautical miles and capacity is 6100 tonnes.
"It can carry containers, heavy steel coils, grain, timber, as well as other heavy goods. The ship is capable of navigating in 4 feet of icy water in the Baltic Sea," he said.
Bangladesh has earned foreign exchange worth over Tk 10 million by exporting the ship.
State Minister of Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP said, "This is our pride. Through exporting ships, another door has opened for foreign exchange earnings," he said.
He said, "We have expertise in state-of-the-art shipbuilding. We expect this industry to achieve export earnings close to that of the readymade garment industry in the future."
Since 1983, Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Ltd has delivered 350 ships.
The shipbuilding industry contributes Tk 150 billion annually to Bangladesh through ship export, ship management, supply of captains and marine engineers, sea transportation by domestic shipping lines, coastal and inland cargo, and passenger transportation.