Mainland operators (MLO), cargo agents and maritime classification societies have opposed a proposal for relaxation of some international standards in use of export-import container-carrying ships.
They said Bangladeshi vessels will get no containers of export-import goods through waterways in and around the capital if these are not built as per standards set by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
They made the remarks at a meeting with high-ups of the Department of Shipping (DoS) at its office on Wednesday last where the DoS chief placed the proposal on the possibility of some sort of relaxation of global standards for Bangladeshi inland container ships.
Local ship builders, maritime classification societies - DNV Germanischer Lloyd (GL), RINA and Bureau Veritas, international mainland operators and cargo agents like PIL, MCC Transport, Merksline, CMA-CGM, DB Schenker and Nippon Express took part in the meeting.
Director General of the DoS Commodore M Zakiur Rahman Bhuiyan moderated the function.
A senior official at the DoS said they discussed the issue of compliance and insurance coverage as practised globally in terms of inland container vessels, which will carry containers from the country's two sea ports, Chittagong and Mongla, to ICTs (inland container terminals).
He said the discussants at the meeting suggested the state-owned department to pay serious attention to the issue of international class in accordance with the standards set by the maritime classification societies.
Talking on the issue, DNV GL country manager AKM Masud Karim told the FE that Bangladeshi vessels will get no containers of export-import goods through waterways in and around the capital if it is not built as per standards set by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
"The ships must fully conform to global standards. Otherwise, these will fail to secure P&I (protection and indemnity) insurance and the regulatory requirements, both being the main criteria for operating vessels," he said.
He said no mainland operators and cargo agents will allow vessels without P&I coverage for carrying containers of valuable goods.
"Who will take the risk of sending their valuable containers in a ship having no insurance coverage," Managing Director of Shipwrights Resources Limited, (SRL) Mr. Mahboob Ahmed, said.
He said the concerned vessel shall be a class vessel duly certified by the IACS with hull and machinery class, and a statement to this regard by the classification authority.
Executive Director of FMC Group, a shipbuilding firm, Pankaj Datta, who was also present at the meeting, expressed his dissatisfaction over the delays, saying that the country will require some 100 container ships by 2020.
"But we're still at a stage of discussion over compliance issue although the move of using waterways transportations was taken nearly five years ago," he said.
The need for alternate mode of transport was urgently felt in 2010 when the country's foreign trade soared 43 per cent to $52 billion, with the Chittagong Port handling 90 per cent of the cargoes.
According to an ADB study, Bangladesh's GDP can grow by more than one per cent and foreign trade by 20 per cent if the inland water transport logistics are made efficient and competitive.
