Guidelines for building vessels for Ctg-Pangaon route, finally

The Department of Shipping (DoS) asked on Thursday the country's shipbuilding firms to construct vessels meant for the Chittagong-Pangaon route under the supervision of the classification societies.
The latest decision has solved complexity with regard to building of the ships.
The issue remained pending for at least three years since 2011 as the authorities concerned and the ship-building firms did not know whether they would follow the specifications of the classification societies.
A classification society is a non-governmental organisation that establishes and maintains technical standards for construction and operation of ships and offshore structures.
The DoS organised a meeting on March 12 last to highlight problems in constructing 32 vessels.
Earlier in 2011, the DoS gave licences for building 32 vessels to the private entrepreneurs for plying on the Chittagong-Pangaon route.
The meeting, participated by all parties concerned, agreed that the coastal specification under the classification societies is required for the vessels and thus it will help get required insurance coverage.  
The DoS will also write to the classification societies to provide required guidelines to the local shipbuilders.
Due to the delay in building the ships, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) procured three vessels from abroad to ply on the route.
Sources hinted that the local shipbuilding firms are likely to complete building the vessels sometime in March in 2015 as they received clear-cut guidelines on their construction.
Shipping sources said if the mainline operators get vessels built under the supervision of the classification societies, they will not hesitate to use the Pangaon terminal any more.
Shakawat Hossain, managing director of the Western Marine, a leading shipbuilding firm in the country, told the FE: "We've received a letter issued by the Department of Shipping on clear-cut guidelines for building the vessels."
Mr. Hossain said: "There is no more technical obstruction in building the vessels."
"Actually, we have been proceeding very slowly for lack of directives from the DoS."
However, the cost of building the vessels will go up at least 20 per cent after the latest direction from the DoS.
Now the cost of building the vessels will range between Tk 240 million and Tk 250 million.
The DoS issued licences to 32 companies and individuals in September 2011 aiming at ensuring availability of container ships for the Chittagong Port-Pangaon route.
The Pangaon terminal, which was built at a cost of Tk 1.54 billion, remained non-functional simply due to lack of vessels with P & I coverage.
In November 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal on the bank of the Buriganga River at Pangaon in South Keraniganj.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the CPA jointly built the terminal.
The terminal aims to help ease the pressure of cargo movement on the Dhaka-Chittagong railway and highway corridors.