Bangladesh’s growing shipbuilding sector has achieved another significant milestone with the delivery of three newly built cargo landing craft—Maya, SMS Emi, and Muna—to Marwan Shipping Ltd of the United Arab Emirates. The vessels were formally handed over on 20 November during a ceremony held aboard Maya on the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, underscoring the country’s rising profile as a producer of specialised maritime platforms.
These vessels form part of an eight-ship export contract signed in 2023 between Western Marine Shipyard (WMS) and the UAE firm, comprising four landing craft, two tugboats, and two tankers. Earlier in the year, WMS delivered the landing craft Rayan alongside tugboats Khalid and Ghaya. The newly delivered vessels will support offshore fuel operations, transporting heavy equipment across the Gulf region.
With this latest delivery, WMS has now exported 36 vessels worth approximately USD 138 million to 11 countries, strengthening Bangladesh’s position in the international shipbuilding market.
Strengthening Diplomatic and Industrial Ties
UAE Ambassador Abdullah Ali Abdullah Alhammoudi, who attended as chief guest, commended the expanding industrial cooperation between the two countries and expressed confidence that more Bangladeshi-built vessels would soon be operating in the Emirates. Commerce ministry Additional Secretary and FBCCI Administrator Abdur Rahim Khan highlighted WMS’s achievements as crucial to Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts to diversify its export base.
Western Marine Chairman Saiful Islam reiterated the need to move beyond traditional export sectors, while Managing Director Captain Sohel Hasan emphasised the importance of long-term capital support to sustain growth within the shipbuilding industry.
WMS’s Role in Bangladesh’s Defence Industrial Base
Beyond international commercial clients, Western Marine Shipyard is also constructing landing craft for the Bangladesh Army, further underscoring its role in the country’s evolving defence industrial ecosystem. These Army landing craft contribute to the military’s logistical mobility, riverine operations, and inland transport capability—areas of increasing strategic importance given Bangladesh’s extensive network of waterways.
WMS’s involvement in building vessels for both foreign customers and the Bangladesh Armed Forces demonstrates the maturing capacity of the private sector to participate in defence manufacturing, traditionally dominated by state-owned entities.
A Dual Track: Private Shipyards and Navy-Owned Facilities
Bangladesh’s ability to produce landing craft now extends across a diverse mix of public and private shipyards. Military-affiliated facilities such as Khulna Shipyard and Chattogram Dry Dock Ltd continue to support Navy and Coast Guard requirements, while private shipbuilders—including Western Marine, Ananda Shipyard, and Khan Brothers Shipbuilding—are increasingly designing and delivering landing craft, patrol vessels, tugboats, and auxiliary craft for both domestic agencies and foreign markets.
This dual-track development has created a resilient national shipbuilding base, driving improvements in standards, classification compliance, quality assurance, and export performance. It also enhances Bangladesh’s self-sufficiency in defence logistics and supports broader military modernisation objectives.
Bangladesh’s Landing Craft Sector on the Rise
As demand for landing craft remains strong in commercial, offshore, and military sectors, Bangladesh is establishing itself as a reliable and competitive supplier. With an experienced workforce, cost-effective production, and growing technical capabilities, the country is gaining recognition as a regional hub for small and medium-sized specialised vessels.
The latest export of landing craft to the UAE highlights not only Western Marine’s expanding international footprint but also Bangladesh’s broader emergence as a serious contributor to global maritime and defence manufacturing. With both private industry and naval shipyards advancing in parallel, Bangladesh’s landing craft and defence-related shipbuilding sectors are poised for even stronger growth in the years ahead.
Amit Bhattacharya is a leading defence procurement expert with deep expertise in modern weapon systems and military hardware acquisition. Over more than a decade, he has collaborated with top defence contractors and strategic research institutions, delivering incisive analysis on procurement frameworks, capability development, and technology integration for armed forces worldwide. Amit bridges the gap between operational requirements and industrial capacity, providing authoritative evaluations of modernisation programmes, defence budgets, and acquisition reforms in both established and emerging defence markets. He leads the Defence Procurement and Defence Industry sections at BDMilitary, shaping strategic discourse on defence innovation. Amit earned his Master of Policy and Governance (MPAG) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, complementing his practical expertise with advanced policy and governance insight.
