US Embassy team visits Chattogram shipbreaking yard to explore investment prospects

A four-member delegation from the US Embassy in Dhaka visited a major shipbreaking yard in Chattogram's Sitakunda today (7 December) as part of an effort to understand the sector's capacity and assess potential business opportunities.

The team, led by political and economic counselor Eric Geelan, toured Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industry in Bhatiary -- one of the country's largest "green" yards, spread across roughly six lakh square feet. The yard's managing director Ferdous Wahid said the visitors appeared surprised by the scale of operations and the adoption of latest technologies, and cleaner, safer recycling practices.

"They wanted to see how we work and what our actual capacity is," Wahid said. "Once we walked them through the facility and explained our process, they said it was very different from the stories they had heard. Eric told us their earlier perception of Bangladesh's shipbreaking industry had changed, and he would encourage US shipping companies to consider investing here."

Eric Geelan was accompanied by economic officer Richard Rasmussen, political specialist Firoze Ahmed, and economic specialist Asif Ahmed of the US State Department. Leaders of the Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association (BSBRA), including its acting president Amzad Hossain Chowdhury, former vice president Liakat Ali Chowdhury, and senior leader Master Abul Kashem, held a meeting with the delegation during the visit.

Industry representatives highlighted the sector's prospects, ongoing challenges, and the need for technical assistance and investment from US firms to further modernise Bangladesh's ship recycling capacity.