Toggi Shipping and Logistics Limited (TSLL) on Wednesday set up a new chapter in the country’s shipbuilding industry by keel-laying for six vessels at its own dockyard.
Bashundhara Group Vice-Chairman Safwan Sobhan inaugurated the ceremony by hammering on the vessels at the Pangaon yard in South Keraniganj, said a press release.
Keel-laying down is the formal recognition of the start of ship construction. It is one of the four events for a ship including – launching, commissioning and decommissioning.
Bashundhara Group Director Yeasha Sobhan was also present as a special guest on the occasion.
TSLL Chief Operating Officer Khairul Bashir Khan, Bashundhara Multi Trading Chief Operating Officer Mirza Mujahidul Islam, Engineer Tajul Islam of shipbuilder Bay Tech, Marketing and Business Development’s Head of Division Mohammd Towfique Hasan were also present while TSLL in-charge Hasan Mohammad Mahadi conducted the session.
Among others, TSLL Shipping Operations’ Head of Division Mahbubul Alam, Head of Project Support Services Foyezur Rahman, and Assistant General Manager Mazedul Hoque Toha were also present at the function.
Indian Register of Shipping’s Surveyor Anup Kumar handed over the keel-laying certificate to Safwan Sobhan for opening the ship-building activities.
Each of the vessels will be capable of self-unloading with a capacity of 2,150 deadweight tonnage. The ships are: MV Rania -8, MV Rania-9, MV Rania-10, MV Rania-11, MV Rania-12 and MV Rania-13.
Each of the vessels has been built following the standard of the Indian Register of Shipping. Addressing the function, Safwan Sobhan appreciated the role of TSLL in developing a green yard within a short time where the engineers are building such big ‘self-unloading’ vessels at a time.
“The ships are expected to sail off in mid of the next year to carry freights in inland waterways. This is a new chapter in the local shipbuilding industry. We hope, the company will export international-standard ships soon and save foreign currencies,” he added. TSLL, a venture of Bashundhara Group, commissioned the first vessel in June this year.