KSRM adds two Japanese bulk carriers to fleet
Three more ships will join KSRM’s fleet in early 2024
KSRM Group, a leading Bangladeshi operator of ocean-going vessels, has added two new Japanese ultramax bulk carriers to its fleet, expanding its capacity to transport dry bulk commodities around the world.
With the addition of two new vessels, the group's fleet now stands at 23 ships. MV Fatema Jahan 1 joined the fleet in the first week of October and MV Zayd Jahan joined last August. Both vessels have a capacity of 66,600 DWT (Deadweight Tonnage), according to the company.
However, the group did not disclose the amount invested in the new vessels.
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Ultramax bulk carriers are medium-sized vessels, larger and more efficient than the smaller supramax carriers.
KSRM gives preference to Bangladeshi sailors in ship operations. All of its ships are manned by native sailors. The addition of two new vessels has created employment for 48 Bangladeshi seamen.
Karim Uddin, deputy managing director of SR Shipping — a subsidiary of KSRM Group, told The Business Standard, "The newly added bulk carriers have already started sailing and three more ocean-going vessels will be added to the fleet between January and March next year."
Meanwhile, KSRM deregistered two of its seagoing vessels this year, both of which were built in 1995. The group plans to deregister another old ship.
In 2003, KSRM Group purchased its first vessel, the F Jahan (Fatema Jahan). Since then, it has added 22 more ships to its fleet.
In addition to ship management, KSRM is the largest rod manufacturing company in Bangladesh and also operates a shipbreaking yard.
Mehrul Karim, the chief executive officer of KSRM Group, told TBS, "The two scrapped ships — Abdullah and Fatema Jahan — will be broken up in our yard to extract raw material for manufacturing rod. The old ships have been brought to the yard already."
The Mercantile Marine Office (MMO) registers Bangladeshi-flagged ships.
MMO Principal Officer Captain Sabbir Mahmood also confirmed that KSRM Group recently registered two new vessels and two of its old ships were deregistered upon application.
At present, the number of sea-going Bangladeshi-flagged ships is 96.
