Scrap vessels pressed into commercial operation under different names
Pankaj Dastider | Monday, 4 April 2011
Pankaj Dastider
CHITTAGONG, Apr 3: As many as four foreign built age-old scrap vessels imported for dismantling at the ship-breaking yards have been, allegedly, converted into water transport cargo ships in clear violation of shipping rules. Besides, through concealment of facts about the vessels in question, the government has been deprived of revenue worth about Tk 37.5 million, cargo vessel owners alleged. Members of Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners' Association (BCVOA) claimed that as per government SRO (statutory regulatory order) concerned the old vessels aging over 25 years and procured for dismantling could not be turned into coastal commercial vessels. According to the SRO, a vessel having a length over 250 feet cannot be registered as coastal vessel. Surprisingly, in gross violation of government rules and concealment of facts from the government agencies concerned, a vessel named MV Water King (ex MV Nina, IMO no 7907348) with the length of 261 feet has been registered as a coastal vessel very recently, allegedly, by the Water Voyage Shipping, Lily House road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka. On this account the Water Voyage Shipping evaded government revenue worth Tk 15 million, coastal vessel owners alleged. This vessel was bought from M/s S A Ship Breakers, Kumira, Sitakunda, Chittagong. According to the shipping safety rules framed by the department of shipping, there cannot be any modification of registration from 'C' class foreign built vessel into 'M' class local coastal vessels, members of BCVOA said. Sources said that in January, 2006 the Water Voyage had bought another vessel by the name MV GELITA from a scrap vessel yard at Madam Bibir Hat and converted it into a commercial vessel under the name, Pride of Karnaphuli. The vessel was imported by one S Trading of Sima Group of Industries, Sadharan Bima Bhaban, (first floor), Chittagong. Later on, the said vessel was sold to M/s Ruknur Shipping, sister concern of M/s Seacom Shipping Lines Ltd, Taher Chamber, Chittagong. On this account the company evaded government revenue for Tk 7.5 million, it is alleged. In separate letters to the Ministry of Shipping, NBR Chairman and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) a member of the BCVOA alleged that M/s Belayet Navigation of Naya Paltan, Dhaka, now named as Water Voyage Shipping, had long been engaged in illegal practice of turning scrap vessels into commercial coastal ships. The members of BCVOA also alleged irregularities on the part of the Belayet Shipping with two Indian barges brought into Bangladesh under Indo-Bangladesh river ways protocol. When contacted, veteran and senior master mariner Captain Shafi Chowdhury FGV, also a director of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the FE last Friday that he had lodged complaints against the owner of Belayet Shipping, with the Anti-corruption Commi-ssion, Collector of Customs, Chittagong and NBR Chairman demand proper inquiry. This correspondent tried to contact the owner of the Belayet Shipping several times to get his comment on the allegations. But he did not receive the phone.
CHITTAGONG, Apr 3: As many as four foreign built age-old scrap vessels imported for dismantling at the ship-breaking yards have been, allegedly, converted into water transport cargo ships in clear violation of shipping rules. Besides, through concealment of facts about the vessels in question, the government has been deprived of revenue worth about Tk 37.5 million, cargo vessel owners alleged. Members of Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners' Association (BCVOA) claimed that as per government SRO (statutory regulatory order) concerned the old vessels aging over 25 years and procured for dismantling could not be turned into coastal commercial vessels. According to the SRO, a vessel having a length over 250 feet cannot be registered as coastal vessel. Surprisingly, in gross violation of government rules and concealment of facts from the government agencies concerned, a vessel named MV Water King (ex MV Nina, IMO no 7907348) with the length of 261 feet has been registered as a coastal vessel very recently, allegedly, by the Water Voyage Shipping, Lily House road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka. On this account the Water Voyage Shipping evaded government revenue worth Tk 15 million, coastal vessel owners alleged. This vessel was bought from M/s S A Ship Breakers, Kumira, Sitakunda, Chittagong. According to the shipping safety rules framed by the department of shipping, there cannot be any modification of registration from 'C' class foreign built vessel into 'M' class local coastal vessels, members of BCVOA said. Sources said that in January, 2006 the Water Voyage had bought another vessel by the name MV GELITA from a scrap vessel yard at Madam Bibir Hat and converted it into a commercial vessel under the name, Pride of Karnaphuli. The vessel was imported by one S Trading of Sima Group of Industries, Sadharan Bima Bhaban, (first floor), Chittagong. Later on, the said vessel was sold to M/s Ruknur Shipping, sister concern of M/s Seacom Shipping Lines Ltd, Taher Chamber, Chittagong. On this account the company evaded government revenue for Tk 7.5 million, it is alleged. In separate letters to the Ministry of Shipping, NBR Chairman and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) a member of the BCVOA alleged that M/s Belayet Navigation of Naya Paltan, Dhaka, now named as Water Voyage Shipping, had long been engaged in illegal practice of turning scrap vessels into commercial coastal ships. The members of BCVOA also alleged irregularities on the part of the Belayet Shipping with two Indian barges brought into Bangladesh under Indo-Bangladesh river ways protocol. When contacted, veteran and senior master mariner Captain Shafi Chowdhury FGV, also a director of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the FE last Friday that he had lodged complaints against the owner of Belayet Shipping, with the Anti-corruption Commi-ssion, Collector of Customs, Chittagong and NBR Chairman demand proper inquiry. This correspondent tried to contact the owner of the Belayet Shipping several times to get his comment on the allegations. But he did not receive the phone.