CHITTAGONG: Western Marine Shipyard (WMS), one of the leading shipbuilding companies in the country, is going to be the trailblazer in making international-standard dredger ship at home.

A joint-venture company named ‘IHC-Western Shipyard’ was established for this engineering marvel with world-renowned dredger-manufacturer IHC-Holland.

Apart from local clients, the company will also supply ships to overseas markets in the Southeast Asian region, said Sakhwat Hossain, WMS Managing Director.

“Western Marine will build these dredgers with the technical assistance of IHC-Holland at its own shipyard at Kolagaon in Patiya. Bangladesh does not need to bring dredgers from abroad because of this initiative.” he said.

The WMS has already initiated manufacturing large and modern vessels for local and foreign buyers, he added.

Western Marine is also building a modern Ro-Ro ferry for a European buyer.

BDST: 1430 HRS, SEPT 4,  2010