Chittagong 28 January 2012: Western Marine Group—the country’s leading shipbuilding company— will deliver a passenger ship to the Chittagong Boat Club on January 29.
The catamaran type passenger ship named ‘Western Cruise’, which costs around Tk 8.0 crore, has the carrying capacity of 200 passengers. The ship, which will be used for river cruising in the Karnaphuli, is the first of its kind ever built by a Bangladeshi shipyard.
A catamaran is a specially designed luxury passenger carrier with twin hull, much safer than any other passenger ship.
Dredger ‘KHANAK’ with hopper capacity of 2500m3 sank in the Karnaphuly River after head on head collision with an inbound foreign ship on October 21, 2009.
At the handing over ceremony shaped with a mezban festive, a traditional celebration of the port city Chittagong, Vice Admiral Zahir Uddin Ahmed, Chief of the Naval Staff, is expected to be present as chief guest.
Western Marine Services Chairman Capt Sohail Hasan and its Managing Director Sakhawat Hossain, Naval COMCHIT Cdre M Nizamuddin Ahmed and high officials from the Group, Bangladesh Navy and the boat club, among others, will attend the event.
The ship is 31.5 meter long and 8.4 meter wide. It can sail at a speed of 12 knots powered by 2X400HP engines. It will be used to cruise in the belt of Karnaphuli River, giving the general people opportunity to enjoy wonderful natural sights strapped with the bank of Karnaphuli.
The Western Cruise is expected to go for commercial operation from January 30. The Chittagong Boat Club will be its harbor station. Initially, the management has planned for trips twice in a da– one in afternoon (4:30PM-6:30PM) and another at night (7:30PM-9:30PM).
During cruising the passengers can enjoy several amusements including, dinning, music, magic and many more. A kids’ corner also will be there. The ship can be hired for organizing programmes like conference, get together etc.
The management of Western Marine believes that this cruise will attract more local and overseas tourists towards the port city enriched with the bewildered natural sights, thus helping for the development of the country’s tourist industry.
