Bangladesh for the first time started building two container ships and another two vessels, called Landing Craft Utility (LCU), at the Khulna Shipyard Limited premises yesterday.
Navy Chief Vice Admiral M Farid Habib, as chief guest, initiated the construction through a keel-laying ceremony.
The container ship, meant to ply between Dhaka and Chittagong, measures 75 metre in length, 13.5 metre in width, has a depth of 5.20 meter and has two 600 horse power engines, providing a maximum speed of 20 knots. It is capable of carrying 140 containers which are 20 feet in length.
The 415-tonne capacity LCU, meant for Bangladesh Navy, is a boat used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops to shores.
It measures 137 feet in length and 33 feet in width. Its two 600 horse power engines provide a top speed of 18 kilometres per hour.