Maersk Line, a leading global shipping and logistics company, has expressed interest in direct investment in Bangladesh’s shipbuilding industry. The prospect was discussed at a meeting in Dhaka on Saturday at the residence of Commerce, Industries, and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir. The discussion also covered potential investment in the ship recycling sector.

Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Christian Brix Moller said Maersk was interested in investing directly in shipbuilding. Rene Pile Pedersen, managing director of AP Moller Singapore Pte Ltd, attended the meeting alongside the ambassador. The minister invited Maersk to expand investment beyond shipbuilding into Bangladesh’s ship recycling industry.

Muqtadir said Bangladesh could become a promising hub both for constructing new vessels and for environmentally compliant, internationally standard recycling of Maersk’s older ships. Participants said Bangladesh has long-standing experience and potential in both sectors. They noted that large international investment could support industrialisation, blue-economy opportunities, employment, technology and skills transfer, and growth in related industries.