CHATTOGRAM: Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) is going to procure six ships -- two mother bulk carrier ships, two mother tankers and two mother product oil tankers -- to meet the growing demand for transportation services.
BSC has already taken up a project to procure the six ships.
Managing Director (MD) of BSC Commodore Sumon Mahmod Sabbir disclosed this at a view exchange meeting with the journalists at the BSC headquarters in the port city on Tuesday.
The declaration came ahead of the 44th annual general meeting (AGM) of the corporation.
Commodore Sabbir said, "A shipping organisation like BSC should have at least 40 to 50 ships to meet the growing demand, but at present, BSC has only eight ships. And six of them -- MV Banglar Joyjatra, MV Banglar Shomridhi, MV Banglar Orjon, Banglar Agrojatra, Banglar Agradut and Banglar Agrogot -- were procured from China in 2018. Two other ships -- Banglar Shourav and Banglar Joty -- were procured in 1987 from Denmark."
He said the BSC earned over Tk 3.22 billion and spent over Tk 2.27 billion in 2020-21 fiscal year, posting a net profit of Tk 720 million during this period as against Tk 414 million in FY 2019-20.
The Board of Directors of BSC in a recent meeting has recommended a 12 per cent cash dividend for the shareholders, he added.
"Bangladesh is importing coal for Rampal, Pyra and Matharbari coal- based power plants. So, we need to maintain an uninterrupted supply chain of coal in the country. We have already planned to procure two mother bulk carriers in this regard. We also have a plan to procure at least 10 lighterage vessels for carrying the coal," he added.
The BSC managing director also said, "We have a plan to carry all crude oils for the Eastern Refinery Limited in the future. So, we have taken up a project to procure mother tankers. Besides, we will procure a mother oil tanker with 80,000 MT (metric tonnes) capacity for carrying diesel and jet fuels in the country."
"Moreover, we have another plan to procure six LNG carriers by 2041," he added.
