Bangladesh Shipping Corporation

Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) is a government organisation for export and import of food grain, fuel, edible oil, garments, process food, tea, lather, chemical and all types of container's goods with other countries. Bangladesh Shipping Corporation was established in 5 February 1972 by the order of the President of the Bangladesh. It is well known that, carrying goods under seaway is the cheapest and best mood of transportation. Bangladesh is a maritime nation with 720 km long sea coastline. Southern part of this country connected with bay of bengal, which falls into Indian Ocean. That is why, 90% of our export and import depends on sea. Being a developing, littoral and revering country; Bangladesh must have cargo, container and tanker merchant ship in her own fleet. This type of national merchant shipping fleet is essential for any maritime nation for her mere survival and to meet the emergency. In our liberation war in 1971, we learn it practically.

In first instance BSC was able to acquire two oceans going ships namely Banglar Doot and Banglar Sampad. Bangladesh Shipping Corporation has been able to acquire a total number of 38 merchant ships till now. But, upon expiry of commercial and economical life 25 ships have been disposed off in different phases. Presently with 13 ships in its fleet, BSC is playing a very important role. BSC is continuing her journey due to the supreme sacrifices, firm determination and sincere devotion of masters, engineers, sailors, officers, and workers under BSC with earnest efforts and dynamic leadership of chairman, MD, and board of directors.

Name of Vessel	Year of Built	DWT (m ton)	Carrying capacity GRT (m ton)	Country built	Date of Acquisition	Source of Financing
M.V Banglar Kakoli	1979	17,234	12,521	Japan	18-12-79	Japan Government
M.V Banglar Kallol	1980	17,222	12,521	Japan	24-01-80
M.V Banglar Mamata	1980	15,877	11,764	Japan	04-06-80
M.V Banglar Maya	1980	15,883	11,764	Japan	10-09-80
M.V Banglar Robi	1981	12,720	10,383	East Germany	07-01-83	American Express Bank Ltd.
M.V Banglar Gourab	1982	13,934	9,782	France	21-01-83	French Government
M.V Banglar Moni	1983	12,680	10,383	East Germany	09-09-83	Islamic Development Bank
M.T Banglar Jyoti	1987	14,541	8,672	Denmark	15-05-87	Danish Grant
M.V Banglar Urmi	1984	15,552	9,840	Spain	14-07-87	Islamic Development Bank
M.T Banglar Shourabh	1987	14,541	8,672	Denmark	14-07-87	Danish Grant
M.V Banglar Doot	1988	16,771	13,125	China	12-12-88	20% own source & 80% China Government.
M.V Banglar Mookh	1989	16,769	13,125	China	12-10-89	20% own source & 80% China Government.
M.V Banglar Shikha	1991	12,945	9,927	China	16-07-91	30% own source & 70% China Government.

Full board of directors is work under minister for shipping as chairman. And other members are secretary; ministry of shipping; managing director; director general (monitoring cell), ministry of finance; executive director (finance); executive director (commercial) and executive director (technical). Its headquarters is in Chittagong. But it also has offices in Dhaka and Khulna. All its offices deal marketing and chartering ships. The marketing and chartering department looks after the maintenance and repair bills, chartering ships, maintaining public relations and appointing officers and staff. On the other hand repair and maintenance department or technical departments deal with the repair, maintenance and technical matters of the ships, under BSC fleet. BSC fleet particulars have been given below in the table:

The average age of the BSC ships is at present is about 28 years. With this average age, maintenance of the vessels under the constantly upgraded maritime laws and regulations is quite difficult and expensive as well. The ship repair and maintenance department of this organisation carries out this significant task.

Although BSC is a government owned local organisation, but its business is spread all over the world and hence, apart from implementing national maritime regulations, BSC has to abide by all international maritime regulations and sometime maritime regulations of third countries as well. The main objectives of these regulations are enhanced of safety and security of lives and property at sea and the preventions of maritime environmental pollution, which is carried out under the auspices of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). In order to keep BSC ships up dated with all maritime regulations, a safety management system has already been implemented in BSC head office and on board ships under International Safety Management (ISM) code and ship security plan has been enforced under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code. Under the newly introduced regulations the fixation of a Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) system, onboard BSC ships are in progress at the moment (2011). It may be mentioned here that BSC has to invent a good amount of money every year for the implementation of new regulations.

There are few nautical and marine engineering cadets enrolled in BSC in every year. BSC marine workshop also provide on job training for face III marine engineers. On the other hand captains and chief engineers of BSC fleet give training to marine academy and national maritime institute on deputation. Usually expert mariners manage international after gathering experience from BSC ships. In this why BSC is helping the nation by producing marine expertise and earning foreign currency. BSC has been endeavoring continuously for balancing and modernisation of national fleet under replacement and expansion programmed. But due to non availability of fund, BSC cannot procure ships according to plan. However BSC has a plan to procure 21 new ships of different types and construct multistoried office/commercial/residential buildings in its own land in Chittagong, Dhaka and Khulna by end of the year of 2021. [Khandakar Akhter Hossain]