Ship-owners refuse to be registered in Bangladesh
Tuesday, 24 February 2011
DHAKA, FEB 21: The government is losing huge money as Bangladeshi ship owners prefer not to register their ships in the country.
The lengthy process of call sign, frequency, ship station licence and numbers on maritime mobile service identity (MMSI) are the main reasons why ship-owners are reluctant to get their ocean-going vessels registered in Bangladesh, according to a source in the shipping department. The BTRC and BTCL have been accused by the shipping companies of delaying the licensing process, MMSI and frequency, the sources said.
The government could earn Tk. 50 crore more annually by registering the ocean-going ships from Bangladesh by giving waivers on vessels, which would come to Bangladesh within six months of registration on a mandatory basis, allowing the International Association of Classification Society (IACS) to register their ships as Bangladesh flag carrier.
The move would also allow the Principal Officer of Mercantile Marine Department (POMMD) to survey ocean-going ships at a short notice and increase the time limit of importing ships, aged from 25 years up to 30 years.
A total of 48 ocean-going ships were registered under the shipping department, director general of the shipping department Rear Admiral (Retd) Bazlur Rahman told The Independent on Sunday.
At least 25 more Bangladeshi-owned ocean-going ships are being registered as flag carriers of many countries like the Panama, Bahama, Liberia, Antigua and Saint Antilles, he said.
A total of 22 ocean-going vessels were registered with the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) between April 20, 2009 and November 24, 2010, sailing under the flags of different countries, he said.
“We have earned about Tk. 32 crore as customs duty from theses ships by giving them registrations under the MMD,” he said.
Revenue income and employment of local sailors would be increased, dependency on foreign ships and freight rate would also be reduced if ships were registered with MMD from Bangladesh, he said.
According to sources, about 95 per cent of imports and exports are carried out by sea. Of this, only 5.45 per cent are being done by Bangladesh flag carrier ships.
The exporters and importers rely mainly on foreign ships to ferry goods, the source said and added: “If the government removes barriers on registration, many foreigners will also register their ships in Bangladesh.”
On November 1, the registrar of the MMD sent a letter to the department concerned asking it to remove existing barriers for the sake of national interest, the source further said.
http://www.theindependentbd.com/paper-edition/backpage/132-backpage/35431-ship-owners-refuse-to-be-registered-in-bangladesh.html
DHAKA, FEB 21: The government is losing huge money as Bangladeshi ship owners prefer not to register their ships in the country.
The lengthy process of call sign, frequency, ship station licence and numbers on maritime mobile service identity (MMSI) are the main reasons why ship-owners are reluctant to get their ocean-going vessels registered in Bangladesh, according to a source in the shipping department. The BTRC and BTCL have been accused by the shipping companies of delaying the licensing process, MMSI and frequency, the sources said.
The government could earn Tk. 50 crore more annually by registering the ocean-going ships from Bangladesh by giving waivers on vessels, which would come to Bangladesh within six months of registration on a mandatory basis, allowing the International Association of Classification Society (IACS) to register their ships as Bangladesh flag carrier.
The move would also allow the Principal Officer of Mercantile Marine Department (POMMD) to survey ocean-going ships at a short notice and increase the time limit of importing ships, aged from 25 years up to 30 years.
A total of 48 ocean-going ships were registered under the shipping department, director general of the shipping department Rear Admiral (Retd) Bazlur Rahman told The Independent on Sunday.
At least 25 more Bangladeshi-owned ocean-going ships are being registered as flag carriers of many countries like the Panama, Bahama, Liberia, Antigua and Saint Antilles, he said.
A total of 22 ocean-going vessels were registered with the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) between April 20, 2009 and November 24, 2010, sailing under the flags of different countries, he said.
“We have earned about Tk. 32 crore as customs duty from theses ships by giving them registrations under the MMD,” he said.
Revenue income and employment of local sailors would be increased, dependency on foreign ships and freight rate would also be reduced if ships were registered with MMD from Bangladesh, he said.
According to sources, about 95 per cent of imports and exports are carried out by sea. Of this, only 5.45 per cent are being done by Bangladesh flag carrier ships.
The exporters and importers rely mainly on foreign ships to ferry goods, the source said and added: “If the government removes barriers on registration, many foreigners will also register their ships in Bangladesh.”
On November 1, the registrar of the MMD sent a letter to the department concerned asking it to remove existing barriers for the sake of national interest, the source further said.
http://www.theindependentbd.com/paper-edition/backpage/132-backpage/35431-ship-owners-refuse-to-be-registered-in-bangladesh.html
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