Charting the Future: Offshore Patrol Vessel Options for Bangladesh’s CDDL

Reading Time: 4 minutes As Bangladesh continues to enhance its maritime security infrastructure, the need for modern, medium-displacement Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) has become increasingly evident. With a coastline stretching over 700 kilometres and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of more than 118,000 square kilometres, safeguarding maritime sovereignty is a matter of strategic urgency. Against this backdrop, Chattogram-based Chittagong Dry Dock Limited (CDDL) has emerged as a key actor in Bangladesh’s naval shipbuilding aspirations. The state-owned shipyard, long known for its capacity to refit and repair commercial and naval vessels, is now poised to enter the advanced patrol vessel construction arena through international design partnerships and technology transfer. This article explores the most viable foreign OPV models that CDDL could build under license or co-development to support Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard requirements in the ~2,000-ton displacement class. Strategic Requirements For CDDL, the ideal OPV design must: Displace around 2,000