BSC to get 6 ships from China in late 2018, early 2019

CHITTAGONG, Oct 30: The state-owned Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) is expected to start taking delivery of Chinese-built three oil tankers and three bulk carriers worth $184.50 million from the end the next year.
The ships will be urchased with the Chinese low interest rate loan.
Three of ships are expected to arrive on November next year while the rest in March 2019.
The BSC management has already named those ships -- MT Banglar Agrajatra, MV Banglar Joyjatra, MT Banglar Agradoot, MT Banglar Agragati, MV Banglar Samriddhi, and MV Banglar Arjan.
The sources further said that 20 per cent of ship building has already been completed in China.
It may be mentioned that BSC has signed an agreement with the CMC (China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation) to procure the ships in Dhaka on April 30 in 2014, aimed at making state-owned organisation a profitable one.
The China Exim Bank has agreed to provide the concessional loan under government to government deal at a very lower interest rate.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in this connection was signed with the CMC in the Chinese Capital Beijing on June 15 in 2012, when Bangladesh Prime Minister visited China.
Subsequently the financial contract for procurement of the ships was igned with the CMC China on October 14 last year during the visit of the Chinese President. After the signing of financial contract, the construction of these vessels began.
The ECNEC approved the project on July 7 in 2015 last.
Earlier the Purchase committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) for procurement of the vessels at a cost of $184.50 million on March 4 in 2015 last.
It may be mentioned that the fleet of the BSC is declining gradually.
After the liberation, the total numbers of the BSC fleet include more than 38 ships. But now it contains only 2 vessels that are sailing after expiry of their economic life with frequent repair after each voyage. The economic life of a vessel is generally 25 years.
So the procurement list of the BSC showed that the economic life of all the vessels has been expired. It may be mentioned that BSC did not procure any seagoing vessel since 1991 last.