Western Marine Shipyard limited- a success and promising story of BD Shipyard Industry

[Bilal9]

Now on to less exciting but maybe important stuff. Western Marine is busy building series of Inland Container ships under GL classification.

SkyscraperCity - View Single Post - Bangladesh Shipbuilding Industries

 

[jaunty]

Nice ships. Bangladesh is making great progress under the leadership of Shrimati Hasina.

 

[Bilal9]

Earlier Western Marine built a series of multipurpose carriers (probably six in total) for Grona Shipping which plies the littoral trade routes in Scandinavia. EMSWAVE is one of these. The video (first item) shows this ship in Beaufort scale 7 crossing a deep sea area near Norway. Testament to the quality of welding work at Western Marine. Stats are here,

• IMO: 9552056
• Name: EMSWAVE
• MMSI: 305771000
• Type: GENERAL CARGO
• GRT: 3500 t
• Summer DWT: 5233 t
• Build: 2011
• Flag: ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
• Home port: SAINT JOHN'S

 

[Avisheik]

Although, countries are free to classify their vessels in their own way I would hardly call this ship an Offshore Patrol vessel mainly because it has no weapons(as stated in the opening post) and it is going to be operated by Kenyan Agricultural ministry.

IMO, I think this vessel will be most likely used for research and survey purposes.

 

[Bilal9]

Although, countries are free to classify their vessels in their own way I would hardly call this ship an Offshore Patrol vessel mainly because it has no weapons(as stated in the opening post) and it is going to be operated by Kenyan Agricultural ministry.

IMO, I think this vessel will be most likely used for research and survey purposes.

This Kenyan OPV is roughly equivalent to our Padma Class FAC in size.

Armament for the Padma Class is:

2 x 2 37mm canon;
4 x 20mm AAA guns;
Naval Mines
MPADS
(will be upgraded with ASM Soon)

The Kenyan OPV won't be as heavily armed because it will only be doing fisheries patrol. So you won't need AAA guns, mines or MPADS. The only adversary these boats will ever have are rogue pirates for which Heavy machine guns and canons will be sufficient. Fishermen don't usually carry heavy arms.

 

[Bilal9]

New Graphic released by Western marine of the New Zealand SOLAS vessel under construction.

 

[Bilal9]

Shipbuilding prospects shine bright
Western Marine MD Sakhawat Hossain says they need incentives and policy support

Uday Sankar Das, from Chittagong
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The government should prohibit import of second-hand ships and give more incentives and policy supports to local shipbuilders, said an official of a leading shipbuilding company of Bangladesh.

The government can also help the emerging sector by reducing cost of fund, which he said is 18 percent in Bangladesh compared to only 7 percent in China, for example.

This blunts their competitive edge over the foreign manufacturers, said Md Sakhawat Hossain, the managing director of Western Marine Shipyard Ltd.

Hossain sat with The Daily Star in an interview recently.

They started their operations in 2000 as a small entity when a group of mostly marine professionals felt the sector could grow in Bangladesh, as China, Japan and Korea had grown with shipbuilding being the backbone of their economy.

Making a humble beginning with only 200 employees, the company has now grown to generate employment for 3,500 people.

Hossain also said the turnover of the company for the year that ended on June 30, 2012 was Tk 370 crore raking a profit of Tk 40 crore.

“We also thought that Bangladesh is a riverine country but there are too many river accidents because of outdated ships being used to carry passengers. This prompted us to go into this business to offer a safer mode of river transport.”

When asked about their biggest success so far, Hossain said they have supplied eight specialised multi-purpose cargo vessels to Germany.

The ships are of international standards in terms of technicality and are now plying in the Baltic Sea.

"We have also built two ferries for Denmark, one of them being a passenger ferry, which is a 2013 model with the latest technologies."
He also said this passenger ferry is for use by people going on holidays with facility to carry 32 motor vehicles. These vessels have been delivered just during the last few days.

Speaking about the challenges in Bangladesh economy and how the domestic shipbuilders can help in tackling these, he said there are three challenges -- power, traffic and environment.

He said ships are required to carry imported oil after refining in Chittagong to various power plants in the country.

Instead of importing second-hand tanker vessels, these are now being built in Bangladesh and these ships are environment-friendly 'double-hull' vessels ensuring no spillage of oil.

In order to minimise the pressure on the highways, through which imported containers are now being carried, the government has adopted a policy to carry the cargoes from Chittagong to Dhaka by container ships.

Licences have also been awarded to various companies including Western Marine to build 32 ships.

Hossain said each of these ships can carry 150 containers, and once this project is complete, it will ease the pressure on the highways significantly. His company has plans to build at least six such vessels.

The official said the government has taken a project for dredging the rivers as the main problem is that the rivers are not flowing properly because of siltation. The government has decided to build various types of dredging vessels for this purpose. "The good news is that all these vessels can be built in Bangladesh," he said, adding that foreign manufacturers are now coming to Bangladesh and entering into joint ventures with local companies.

About building passenger ships for inland transport, Hossain said Western Marine is the first company to connect the mainland with St Martin's Island by a passenger ferry.

The company has since then built more than 10 passenger ferries. He also said, to attract tourists from both abroad and from within the country, the company has started building cruise vessels and has already built four such vessels.

On new investment and expansion plans, he said, "We are focusing to catch the market of 2015 when we shall hear more about environment-friendly ships."

Ships of the future will be emitting very little toxic elements into the atmosphere and the machineries and technologies would have to be changed, he said.

"From 2015, ships would be built to be run by liquified natural gas in order to reduce carbon and other toxic gas emission. We are now capable of building 10,000-tonne ships and would like to increase the capacity to 15,000 tonnes."
He said his company now holds 35 percent of the domestic market and about 30 percent of the foreign market of shipbuilding in Bangladesh.

The four pillars on which their company stands are quality, timely delivery, joint venture and corporate social responsibility, he said.

The company has established a 'primary health care centre' in the shipyard for health care of the employees.

Hossain also said, apart from the families of the employees, about 26,000 people in the catchment areas, especially women and children, get services from this health care centre. Food and education are also provided for the workforce, he added.

He also said the successful implementation of the four pillars of the company gives them an edge over their competitors.

The future of shipbuilding in Bangladesh is bright, the official said, adding that the demand in the domestic market is quite high.

Hossain said they have plans to build world-class cruise ships with a capacity to carry more than 2,000 passengers from Dhaka to Barisal and Patuakhali, and two such ships would be built by 2015.

He said they dream of a 'green ship', which he describes as leaving a legacy for an environment-friendly ship for the country.

Shipbuilding prospects shine bright

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh headed for a prosperous future
Immediate past Danish ambassador tips the shipbuilding sector as a big contributor to economy

Gazi Towhid Ahmed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Svend Olling

Bangladesh faces tremendous challenges from climate change, infrastructure, corruption and politics, said former Danish ambassador Svend Olling.
“However, as I leave Bangladesh, I am more convinced than ever that Bangladesh is headed for a peaceful, democratic and prosperous future. As the past has proven, the challenges are no match for the resilient, ambitious, hardworking people of Bangladesh,” he said in an interview with The Daily Star.
Olling, who has been promoting relations between Denmark and Bangladesh on development, trade, global affairs for the past three years, tipped the shipbuilding industry for greater things.
“The shipbuilding industry has the potential to become a large contributor to the Bangladeshi economy. The global economic crisis has hit the country hard. Despite these challenges, the shipbuilders of Bangladesh have delivered some impressive results.”
More people are progressively becoming aware of the potential of the industry, he said.
“New companies are being established to produce, locally, components for building the ships, something that, until now, had to be imported from abroad.”
Regarding Denmark’s contribution to the industry, Olling said: “Through the years, Danish companies have been involved in many joint ventures aimed at giving Bangladesh access to the centuries of maritime expertise that Denmark has accumulated during our time as a maritime nation.”
Olling cited the case of Western Marine Design Studio, which is now capable of designing their own ships now, instead of relying on the blueprints of other shipyards from different countries.
“Having seen the ferry built by Western Marine that now sails people across Isefjorden as well as the 8 ‘ice’ class vessels they have delivered to Germany, I can say that they have attained a world-class shipbuilding standard.”
Olling, who will join the Trade Council on his return to Denmark, will be informing his countrymen of the “great potential” the sector holds, which will, perhaps, facilitate more joint ventures between the two nations.
Regarding the textile industry, he said: “During the year, the industry has suffered several tragedies that highlight the dark side of this industry, but this is not the whole story.”
The outgoing Danish ambassador said there are many garment factories that “care deeply” for their employees and provide them with a safe and healthy workplace and still manage to remain competitive.
Olling said the information technology sector, more than any other, is “the symbol of Bangladesh’s march towards becoming a middle-income country and the rapid improvement of the skills, education and technology available to the ordinary Bangladeshi”.
“As long as the Bangladeshi economy is growing, there will be an increasing demand for IT-services, which will ensure the growth of this sector,” he said, adding that Denmark has, through its B2B programme, supported more than 20 IT partnerships in Bangladesh.
“I see a bright future for this sector, and also within IT outsourcing.”
On a parting note, Olling said: “We have experienced three wonderful years in this great country. I will be forever grateful for the wonderful hospitality and cooperation extended to my family and me by all Bangladeshis, from the rickshaw puller to those holding the highest offices.”

Bangladesh headed for a prosperous future | Immediate past Danish ambassador tips the shipbuilding sector as a big contributor to economy

(Note: Denmark provided official funds and technicians for setting up the Ship Design Institute at Western Marine)

 

[Bilal9]

For Arfa and Afza: KPT launches two ferryboat services – The Express Tribune

The first two (of hopefully - many) marine vessels built in Bangladesh by Western Marine for Pakistan two years ago. These two will be used as passenger ferries by the Karachi Port Trust, The designs were provided by KPT per Germanischer Lloyd.

 

[kalu_miah]

For Arfa and Afza: KPT launches two ferryboat services – The Express Tribune

The first two (of hopefully - many) marine vessels built in Bangladesh by Western Marine for Pakistan two years ago. These two will be used as passenger ferries by the Karachi Port Trust, The designs were provided by KPT per Germanischer Lloyd.

 

[Arya Desa]

Nice ships. Bangladesh is making great progress under the leadership of Shrimati Hasina.

And they say we install puppets to disrupt their country...

 

[eastwatch]

And they say we install puppets to disrupt their country...

Off topic, but, India always try to disrupt our national progress when it found it is unable to control BD even after helping in its war of independence in 1971. This why India is distrusted by our people. Hope, India will not hinder in our effort to industrialize, the way it has hindered our agriculture development. Less water means less cereal output.

 

[Arya Desa]

Off topic, but, India always try to disrupt our national progress when it found it is unable to control BD even after helping in its war of independence in 1971. This why India is distrusted by our people. Hope, India will not hinder in our effort to industrialize, the way it has hindered our agriculture development. Less water means less cereal output.

In typical fashion, you attribute your own shortcoming to others. Take responsibility for your own failure.

 

[khair_ctg]

Off topic, but, India always try to disrupt our national progress when it found it is unable to control BD even after helping in its war of independence in 1971. This why India is distrusted by our people. Hope, India will not hinder in our effort to industrialize, the way it has hindered our agriculture development. Less water means less cereal output.

India would have never helped BD gain independence. India stood against this land ever since it was demarcated in 1947. did India want BD to improve during 1947-1971? the only scenario India will get involved in is when BD exercises true independence. the only BD acceptable to India is one that is subservient and gives unhindered access to its economic and military transgression.

 

[UKBengali]

In typical fashion, you attribute your own shortcoming to others. Take responsibility for your own failure.

BD has GDP/capita of 1200 dollars, few hundred dollars less than India, but with 24 years less of independence.

Who is the failure here?