Month: March 2014

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurates the largest Passenger ship constructed by Western Marine for BIWTC

Mar 29, 2014 by wms

Chittagong, 29 March 2014: The Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina inaugurated M.V. Bangali, the largest passenger ship for Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corp. (BIWTC). M.V. BANGALI is the highest capacity passenger ship added in the fleet of BIWTC capable of carrying 754 passengers. Through inauguration of BANGALI Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina personally experienced a river voyage from Dhaka to Chandpur. Several ministers & high officials of the Government accompanied the Prime Minister in this voyage.

MV-BANGALI

This is the first time passenger ship of this capacity has been built by a Bangladeshi shipbuilder, Western Marine Shipyard Ltd. The ship will carry passengers in one of busiest river route in Bangladesh from Dhaka to Barisal. It is an initiative by the government to enhance the inland waterway transportation system of Bangladesh. It is believed addition of this ship will reduce this crisis of traffic congestion & people will be more interested in travelling by river routes.

The ship is 75m in length & has a draft of only 1.8m ensuring her navigability in shallow water. The ship has 1 fully air-conditioned VIP lounge with 4 VIP suites having attached toilets. Besides there are 38 first class air-conditioned cabins, 16 second class cabins, dining areas, second class sitting arrangements for 84 passengers and 3 conventional open deck to accommodate 550 passengers.

The Prime Minister was happy to see the quality of the ship and added that such ship will add to our capacity in the inland route transportation. She also expressed that it is a pride as Bangladeshi shipbuilders are building vessels for our domestic use & also for the export market. She emphasized saying the local shipbuilders should build more vessels to meet the domestic demand.

The Chairman highlighted saying that Western Marine is building vessels of various type for the international market including New Zealand & Danish buyer. He mentioned Western Marine ensures the best quality in shipbuilding which has led them in to the international market & they are willing to build more vessels for domestic use rather having these vessels imported spending our hard earned foreign currency.