Photo: BSS

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 22, 2025 (BSS) – A new bulk carrier ship ‘MB Banglar Pragati’ is formally joining the fleet of the state-owned Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) tomorrow, which is expected to increase its goods transport capacity by sea and revenue earnings. 

Purchased with BSC’s own money, the ship having a capacity of transporting 65,000 tons of goods will officially be handed over to the BSC by China's Xingjiang Nanyang Shipbuilding Company Limited tomorrow. 

‘MB Banglar Pragati’ is one of the two new bulk carrier ships purchased by the BSC to strengthen its capacity. The second one ‘Banglar Navjatra' is expected to join BSC’s fleet in December. 

The ocean-going vessel ‘MB Banglar Pragati’ is 199 meters long, 33 meters wide, and 18 meters deep, with a capacity to transport 65,000 tons of goods. It is powered by a MAN-B&W main engine, built under a German license and assembled in China. The ship’s pump is from Spain, and the compressor is from Norway. 

The ship has successfully completed trial run in China and will soon begin transporting goods worldwide under the red-green flag, Captain Jamal Hossain Talukder, BSC General Manager for Cargo Supervision and Operation, confirmed the details of the ship to BSS.

BSC officially acquired the ship from Hellenic Dry Bulk Ventures LLC in London. Both parties have signed the necessary delivery and acceptance protocols.

“The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), under the Ministry of Shipping, signed a supply agreement with Hellenic Dry Bulk Ventures LLC on September 21. This agreement was made possible after the Chief Adviser approved the recommendations of the Advisory Council Committee on Government Procurement. The purpose of the agreement is to procure a bulk carrier ship with a capacity of 55 to 66 thousand DWT using BSC's own funds,” said a BSC official.

Anwar Pasha, BSC’s Chief Executive Officer, said that the Ministry of Shipping approved the Direct Purchase Procurement (DPP) to buy a readymade ship on June 3. International tenders were invited on June 4, he added. 

 
“The price for each ship is $38.349 million, with a total recommended price of $76.698 million for two ships, which is 4.60% less than the official estimated price. The evaluation committee verified various technical aspects of the supplier company's proposal and inspected the construction status of the ships on site during the purchasing process,” he added.

The services of a classification society representative were utilized to prepare the ship specifications and conduct technical evaluations. Upon approval from the relevant authorities, the ships were renamed as MV Banglar Pragati (formerly XCL GEMINI) and MV Banglar Navjatra (formerly XCL LION). The two vessels, constructed with the Green Ship concept in mind, feature energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technological solutions that adhere to international environmental standards.

The ships meet the latest environmental standards set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to control global carbon emissions. They effectively reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from the main engines, significantly decreasing environmental pollution. This also leads to lower fuel consumption and increased operational efficiency, resulting in economic savings. 

Additionally, the ships reduce hydrodynamic drag, boosting ship speed and fuel efficiency. The vessels also minimize wind resistance, ensuring speed and fuel savings, particularly during high-speed operations. 

In 2018 and 2019, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation acquired six ships, three with financial support from the Chinese government totaling Tk 1,843 crore. This time, the corporation has purchased the two ships for Tk 935 crore using its own fund. 

BSC aims to generate Tk 200 crore in annual revenue from these two new ships, sources said.