MV Mataliki, an Intl. SOLAS Passenger Ship that Western Marine Shipyard has built for New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), has been handed over to her owner today 14 Dec 2015. The Canadian High Commissioner H.E. Benoît-Pierre Laramée was the Chief Guest in the occasion while Mr. Peter Bowe, President of Ellicott Dredgers-USA was the Special Guest.
MV Mataliki will be mainly used to transport the people of Tokelau which is a New Zealand controlled state in the Pacific. The ship was received by Mr. Harry Stronach, representative of New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The construction of the ship was initiated on the 19th of February 2014. This project has been identified as one of the biggest achievement of the entire shipbuilding industry of Bangladesh for having built a ship for the first time which will sail in the pacific.
The complete ship was built under class Lloyd’s Register, UK & the ship is under IMO SOLAS [Safety of Life at Sea] rule which means the ship has highest safety measures considering all possible risks at sea. The ship is able to carry 60 passengers in addition to 50 tonnes of cargo and supplies. The ship is 43m long with environment friendly machineries which will ply in the Pacific Ocean as a Green Ship.
The Chief Guest H.E. Laramée applauded to this occasion for the success of Western Marine & the entire shipbuilding industry of Bangladesh. The Special Guest Mr. Peter Bowe has highly admired shipyard workmanship & quality of the ship Mataliki and appreciated the whole team of the shipyard for such achievement.
The representative of New Zealand Ministry, Mr. Harry Stronach said that the ship will highly contribute to the people of Tokelau which will also make a positive impact on their economy. Mr. Stronach has expressed his positive view on the ship’s quality & hoped that the yard will have more business with New Zealand.
Shipyard Chairman Saiful Islam said shipbuilding is contributing highly in making a positive image of Bangladesh and Western Marine is playing a big role in this by building ships for different corners of the world.
Managing Director of shipyard Sakhawat Hossain mentioned that Mataliki has created an opportunity for the entire shipbuilding industry of Bangladesh as this ship is Echo friendly which will promote Bangladesh shipbuilding industry in the Pacific region. Earlier Western Marine has built ship for Sub-continent of Asia, Europe, South America, & East Africa region.
