NESL gets Tk 7cr (US$1 Million) contract to build trawler Fish Mark-1

Tuesday, Nov 18, 2008

Narayanganj Engineering and Shipbuilding Ltd (NESL) has obtained a Tk 7 crore (US$1 Million) contract for building a deep-sea fishing trawler, Fish Mark-1, from a Bangladeshi sea-fish catching and preserving company named Fish Mark Complex.

Maj Gen (Retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim BP, Managing Partner of Fish Mark Complex and Saiful Islam, Chairman of NESL yesterday inaugurated the keel laying of the trawler at NESLs shipyard premises at Nabiganj, Narayanganj.

All the deep sea fishing trawlers engaged in deep sea fishing in the coastal waters of Bangladesh are imported. But this will be the first time that a shipyard in Bangladesh has designed and is building this fishing trawler, which is capable of both bottom and surface water fishing. The trawler would cost two times higher than that of present price, if it were imported from abroad.

Saiful Islam said the same quality boat would cost about Tk 14 crore (US$2 Million) if Fish Mark were imported from abroad.

He expressed gratitude to the banks that agreed to finance both of the companies. ""Due to the cooperation of AB Bank and Prime Bank huge amount of foreign currencies is saved.""

Saiful Islam confidently said that the NESL would be able to deliver the trawler in time and maintain international standard.

He seemed to be worried about the critical situation of the country. ""The image of the country tended downward four years from now. But the shipbuilding industry changed it. I am urging the future government to sustain that image"", said the Chairman.

Ibrahim mentioned that they are saving one million dollar foreign currency by building this vessel in Bangladesh.

He hoped that Bangladesh would be able to manufacture ship of international standard.

NESL sailed its journey as SK Banerjy Shipyard in 1928. It was named Narayanganj Dockyard in 1951. Since then it has been manufacturing ferry and pontoon for BIWTA and Road and Highways. It started anew journey with new management and named it Narayanganj Engineering and Shipbuilding Ltd (NESL) in 2003.

Source: The New Nation