MV Jahan-1 becomes 100th Bangladeshi flagged ship

Kabir Group’s MV Jahan-1 has received final registration, making it the 100th Bangladeshi flagged ship. 

The milestone was achieved following an inspection by the Mercantile Marine Office and customs authorities at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port on Wednesday (12 June).

Kabir Group’s journey in the shipping sector began in 2004. With the inclusion of MV Jahan-1, the group now boasts a fleet of 24 vessels. 

“When a company applies for ship registration, we initially grant provisional approval. If the ship arrives at a Bangladeshi port within six months, the Mercantile Marine Office, along with customs and related agencies, conducts an inspection and then approves the ship. MV Jahan-1 was inspected on 12 June. Reaching the milestone of one hundred Bangladeshi-flagged ships is a matter of great pride”, Sabbir Mahmud, principal officer of the Mercantile Marine Office, told TBS. 

He also noted that four ships recently received provisional approval, including two from Meghna Group: Meghna Pioneer and Meghna Century. Kabir Group’s MV Jahan-1, and Vanguard Shipping’s Royal Arakam bring the total number of Bangladeshi-flagged ships to 101.

According to Kabir Group, MV Jahan-1 departed from Muara Pantai Port in Indonesia on 26 May, carrying 59,800 metric tons of coal for Chattogram Port. The six-year-old vessel, previously named Nord Pacific, arrived at Chattogram’s outer anchorage at 2pm on 12 June.

Meherul Karim, CEO of Kabir Group said, “Reaching the milestone of one hundred Bangladeshi-flagged ships is undoubtedly a significant achievement. With today’s inspection by the Mercantile Marine Office, MV Jahan-1 has been officially registered as the 100th Bangladeshi-flagged ship. We plan to acquire another ship by the end of this year.”

Before 2012, there were 72 ocean-going cargo ships registered in Bangladesh. However, by 2012, this number had decreased to 35, and by 2018, it had increased slightly to 36.

In 2019, the Bangladeshi Flagship (Protection) Act 2019 was enacted. This law prioritises Bangladeshi-flagged ships at local ports, allowing 50% of goods to be transported by local ships, up from the previous 40%. Additionally, the complexities in ship registration have been significantly reduced