Large white passenger cruise ship moored at a quay

Representative photo. Your order is made to your specification by a verified seller. Photo: “Marina (ship, 2011), Sète 01” by Christian Ferrer, CC BY 4.0.

Bicycles, vehicles and ships · Ships and boats

Passenger vessel manufacturer in Bangladesh

Planning a launch or ferry and need a passenger vessel manufacturer in Bangladesh? Tell us the route, the passenger number by deck and cabin, and the service. We source from a verified yard and check the approved plan, stability and safety equipment before handover.

Verified sellers
Checked before it ships
Delivered by Roptan

Prefer to deal with suppliers yourself? Post it on the requirement board

Buying passenger vessels in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, passenger vessels are mainly river launches on long routes from Dhaka to Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali and Khulna, roll-on/roll-off ferries on seven routes, and motorised wooden boats on smaller rivers. About 200 launches were reported on 107 routes in 2022. Passenger numbers on some routes fell after the Padma Bridge opened, so check route demand before sizing a vessel.

A passenger vessel manufacturer in Bangladesh builds to a plan that is usually approved before work starts, and the certificate then fixes how many people may board. Roptan writes your route, passenger numbers and deck plan into one specification, sources from verified yards and checks the approved plan, stability and safety equipment as the vessel is built.

Kinds of passenger vessel

River launches

Passenger ferries with open deck space and cabins, on long river routes. Choose one for a scheduled river service; the certificate can set separate numbers for deck and cabins.

Roll-on/roll-off ferries

Ferries that carry vehicles as well as people, loading over ramps at landing points. Choose one for a river crossing where cars, buses or trucks must cross with their passengers.

Motorised wooden boats

Small wooden boats, often fitted with engines, that carry people and goods on smaller rivers. Choose one for short local routes where a steel launch cannot reach.

Sea-going passenger ships

Vessels for coastal or island service on open water. For these, SOLAS is the usual reference for subdivision, stability after damage and life-saving appliances.

How to specify a passenger vessel

Route and season: Name the route, the river or sea conditions and the season of service. The number allowed on board can vary with the season, the voyage and the cargo carried.
Passengers by deck and cabin: Give the number you want on each deck and in the cabins. The certificate of survey states the number the vessel is fit to carry, and can split it by area.
Deck plan: Plan the upper decks knowing the usual rule: no passengers on the open roof and no cargo on the upper deck of a vessel carrying passengers for trade.
Life-saving and fire-fighting: List the life-saving apparatus, fire-fighting equipment and measures against fire, explosion and collision. The exact lists sit in the rules in force, so ask the yard for them.
Owner and registration: Say who will register the vessel. For inland service the owner is usually a Bangladeshi citizen, a company registered in Bangladesh, or a foreign company with an agent or branch here.

Approval, survey and safety papers

Design and plan approval: For an inland passenger vessel, design and plans are usually approved before building, followed by construction survey, a stability calculation and an inclining test. Confirm the current Department of Shipping process first.
Certificate of survey: States how many passengers the vessel may carry, by deck and cabin where needed. Carrying more than it allows is an offence for the owner or master.
Inclining test: Usually applied to newly built ships over 24 metres long, it fixes lightship weight and centre of gravity, the basis of the stability calculation.
SOLAS 1974: Applies as a whole to certain ships on international voyages and sets the highest degree of subdivision for passenger ships. Use it as a reference for sea-going vessels only.

What moves the price of a passenger vessel

Passenger number and decks: more people usually means a longer hull, more decks and more seating.
Cabins and comfort: cabin numbers, air conditioning and toilets add outfit work and equipment.
Safety equipment: life-saving apparatus and fire-fighting systems scale with the number carried.
Route: a sea-going vessel built with SOLAS as a reference needs more subdivision and equipment than a river launch.
Vehicle deck: a ro-ro ferry needs ramps and a deck rated for vehicle loads.

Lead times and delivery

We give no typical build time for a passenger vessel. The date moves with size and deck count, how long design approval takes, the imported engines and equipment, the cabin outfit, the yard's order book and any change to the plan after approval. Roptan confirms the dates and the minimum order in the quote.

After the final survey, the surveyor usually issues a certificate of compliance once the build matches the approved standard, and a temporary plying permit of up to 45 days can cover the vessel while the certificate of survey is pending. At handover, ask for the approved plan, the stability calculation, the certificate showing the passenger number and the life-saving list. A VAT invoice (Mushak 6.3) follows where it applies.

What we check for this order

Approved plan firstWe check that the design and plans are approved before steel is cut, and that the yard builds to them.
Passenger numberWe check that the number on the certificate matches the deck and cabin numbers in your specification.
Life-saving and fire-fightingWe check the fitted equipment against the list in the rules in force and the approved plan.
Stability recordWe check that the inclining test was done and that the stability calculation covers full passenger load.

Questions buyers ask

How many passengers can my launch carry?

The number written on its certificate of survey, which can set separate figures for the decks and the cabins and can vary with season and voyage. Carrying more is an offence, with a fine for each excess passenger. Design to the number you need and check it appears on the certificate.

Who approves a new passenger vessel?

For inland service, the design and plans are usually approved by the government before building, which can delegate approval and survey to a classification society it empowers. Confirm the current Department of Shipping procedure before the design is drawn.

Does a river launch have to meet SOLAS?

No. SOLAS as a whole applies to certain ships on international voyages, not to a launch on Bangladesh's rivers. It is still a useful reference for sea-going passenger ships, where it requires the highest degree of subdivision so the ship stays afloat and stable after assumed hull damage.

Can a foreign company own a passenger vessel here?

Usually through a local route: an inland vessel is registered to a Bangladeshi citizen, a company registered in Bangladesh, or a foreign company with an agent or branch here. Transfers usually need government approval. Registry validity is also tied to the vessel's age, so check the rules in force when you order.

How soon will I hear back about ships and boats?

Within 48 hours of a complete requirement, with a price and a delivery date. A requirement is complete when it has the quantity, where it is needed and by when.

Who do I deal with?

With Roptan, when Roptan manages the order: we buy from the verified seller and deliver to you. With the supplier directly, when you post on the requirement board and choose a quote yourself.