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EC assures support for shipbuilding industry

Staff Correspondent, ctg
Dr Stefan Frowein, European Commission delegation chief in Bangladesh, here yesterday assured shipbuilding companies of support of European Union, urging the latter to go "full steam ahead” with the business.
The EC delegation chief made the assurance while visiting the Western Marine Shipyard Limited (WMSL) on the other bank of the river Karnaphuli at Shikalbaha in Patiya upazila of Chittagong to have preliminary ideas of the shipbuilding industry in Bangladesh.
The shipbuilding industry has the potential to earn billions and benefit both the people of Bangladesh and the European Union, observed Frowein, as he said that three shipbuilding companies, including Western Marine, secured significant orders from Europe in recent months.
Making its inroad in global shipbuilding market in February this year, the Western Marine has already received orders for building 18 ocean-going ships. Of these, five have been received from Denmark, twelve from Holland and one from Singapore.
The country will earn foreign currency worth USS 180 million from the completion of the ships, informed the Western Marine officials.
"It is particularly apposite that a country, which is renowned for ship-breaking, should move to shipbuilding, creating an industrial "cycle of life" with a certain poetic appeal", said Frowein.
Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Commodore
M Farooq and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Saifuzzaman Chowdhury accompanied the EC delegation chief during his visit at the shipyard.
The CPA chairman requested the EC delegation chief to help Bangladeshi shipbuilders acquire advanced shipbuilding technology and skills.
The CCCI president hoped that the EC delegation chief's visit would help enhance Bangladesh shipbuilding industry and open a new frontier for exporting ships to Europe.
Western Marine Shipyard Limited (WMSL) Chairman Saiful Islam sought EC's assistance to develop skilled manpower through training and transfer of technology for boosting country's shipbuildingcapabilities.
He said shipbuilding boom could bring about significant expansion of Bangladesh 's commercial relations with the European Union.
* The company, aiming to
take the local shipbuilding industry to a new height, also received “World Maritime Day Award 2007” in recognition of its contribution to ship building industry in the country, said the sources at Western Marine Shipyard Limited.
Sprawling over a 15-acre of land, its shipyard employs over 2000 skilled and semi-skilled manpower. The company expects to employ further 10,000 people at its facilities in near future.