Limited dry dock facilities at Ctg port deprive country of forex earning
Monday, 17 November 2008
Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, Nov 16: A good number of vessels arriving at Chittagong Port are being compelled to go elsewhere for docking and repairing purposes as there is no adequate dry dock here. The country is therefore being deprived of earning a large amount of foreign currency every year on this head, concerned sources said.
Sources said, vessels needed docking and repairing after every 2 to 3 years and docking period of each vessel ranges from one to two months on an average. Chittagong Dry Dock Ltd (CDDL) being the only of its kind , is not capable of providing timely schedule to the intending vessels and as such, delay in docking and repairing of vessels, has been adversely affecting the shipping trade of the country.
According to the CDDL sources, due to limited capacity, CDDL can not meet the repairing needs of a large number of vessels arriving at Chittagong port at this stage.
In this connection Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) sources said, the BSC and private management in the country now owned a total of 30 vessels. Besides that, more than 10 to 12 vessels were also owned by the Bangladeshi owners under foreign registration. But due to inadequate dry dock facilities, Bangladeshi vessel owners were being compelled to move elsewhere for docking their vessels on frequent occasion which lead to the wastage of time and valuable foreign currency.
In this connection Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) sources said, CDDL was capable of meeting only a small portion of huge docking needs by vessels at this stage. Around 2,000 to 2,500 vessels arrived at CP almost every year and as the expenditures were relatively lower in Chittagong, most of the companies expressed their desire to dock their vessels here. As CDDL remained occupied with the vessel all the time, it could not play any role in immediate repairing of any vessel meeting an accident.
Moreover, existing dry dock had a limited capacity to provide repairing facilities to the vessels. And it could not build any new vessel at this stage. So the very move of constructing a new dry dock along with the facilities of constructing new vessels, was a time befitting one, CPA sources opined.
According to the Marcantile Marine Department (MMD) sources , due to lack of adequate dry dock in the country, most of the defective vessels plied the Bangladesh territorials water at risk. CDDL which was meant for repairing the sea-going vessels, was quite insufficient for repairing so many vessels as needed.
Another sources said, in neighbouring India more than 200 dry docks were located at the different parts of the country which were contributing a lot to their treasury. As such, establishment of dry docks under private management besides the river Karnaphuli was quite justified and time befitting one, sources added.
CHITTAGONG, Nov 16: A good number of vessels arriving at Chittagong Port are being compelled to go elsewhere for docking and repairing purposes as there is no adequate dry dock here. The country is therefore being deprived of earning a large amount of foreign currency every year on this head, concerned sources said.
Sources said, vessels needed docking and repairing after every 2 to 3 years and docking period of each vessel ranges from one to two months on an average. Chittagong Dry Dock Ltd (CDDL) being the only of its kind , is not capable of providing timely schedule to the intending vessels and as such, delay in docking and repairing of vessels, has been adversely affecting the shipping trade of the country.
According to the CDDL sources, due to limited capacity, CDDL can not meet the repairing needs of a large number of vessels arriving at Chittagong port at this stage.
In this connection Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) sources said, the BSC and private management in the country now owned a total of 30 vessels. Besides that, more than 10 to 12 vessels were also owned by the Bangladeshi owners under foreign registration. But due to inadequate dry dock facilities, Bangladeshi vessel owners were being compelled to move elsewhere for docking their vessels on frequent occasion which lead to the wastage of time and valuable foreign currency.
In this connection Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) sources said, CDDL was capable of meeting only a small portion of huge docking needs by vessels at this stage. Around 2,000 to 2,500 vessels arrived at CP almost every year and as the expenditures were relatively lower in Chittagong, most of the companies expressed their desire to dock their vessels here. As CDDL remained occupied with the vessel all the time, it could not play any role in immediate repairing of any vessel meeting an accident.
Moreover, existing dry dock had a limited capacity to provide repairing facilities to the vessels. And it could not build any new vessel at this stage. So the very move of constructing a new dry dock along with the facilities of constructing new vessels, was a time befitting one, CPA sources opined.
According to the Marcantile Marine Department (MMD) sources , due to lack of adequate dry dock in the country, most of the defective vessels plied the Bangladesh territorials water at risk. CDDL which was meant for repairing the sea-going vessels, was quite insufficient for repairing so many vessels as needed.
Another sources said, in neighbouring India more than 200 dry docks were located at the different parts of the country which were contributing a lot to their treasury. As such, establishment of dry docks under private management besides the river Karnaphuli was quite justified and time befitting one, sources added.