MV Banglar Joyjatra now sails to Ras Al Khair

Amid the war in the Middle East, the vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra has set sail from the outer anchorage of Sharjah port in the United Arab Emirates towards Ras Al Khair port in Saudi Arabia.

The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC)-owned ship departed for its new destination on Wednesday night.

Captain Shafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com, “We lifted anchor from the outer anchorage of Sharjah port last night and started our journey towards Ras Al Khair port in Saudi Arabia.

“The distance is about 360 nautical miles. We expect to reach the destination by Friday night.”

On this voyage, the ship will proceed through the Persian Gulf without crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier, the vessel had reached the waters of Sharjah port on Mar 12, where it remained stranded for 21 days due to security concerns.

Before that, the ship had set out from Jebel Ali port towards the Strait of Hormuz for its next commercial destination. However, following advice from the UAE Coast Guard against proceeding along that route, it turned back.

BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek told bdnews24.com that the vessel’s next destination after Ras Al Khair has not yet been finalised.

“From Ras Al Khair, the ship may carry fertiliser to Brazil, South Africa, or Mozambique. However, the chartering company has not yet confirmed the destination,” he said.

The vessel has been chartered from BSC by Singapore-based Dawa Agency, which hires ships to transport cargo for third parties.

Nearby Ships Attacked After Eid

The 31 crew members of Banglar Joyjatra had to celebrate Eid while anchored in the waters of Sharjah, far from home.

While celebrating Eid at sea is not new for sailors, this year’s experience was different due to the conflict in the region.

Captain Shafiqul said, “Even after Eid, there were attacks on a nearby bulk carrier and an oil tanker. This made the crew anxious. However, we didn’t discuss it much among ourselves—perhaps no one wanted to express their worriwa.”

He added that the crew now feels somewhat relieved after leaving Sharjah and heading towards Ras Al Khair.

BSC MD Malek said the vessel has sufficient food, drinking water, fuel, and other supplies, and authorities are maintaining regular communication with the crew.

Two Months’ Voyage in the Middle East

Banglar Joyjatra entered Middle Eastern waters on Jan 26 and has since been transporting cargo between various ports in the region.

On Feb 26, the ship arrived at the outer anchorage of Jebel Ali port in Dubai carrying 38,800 tonnes of steel coils from Mesaieed port in Qatar. It berthed at Terminal 10 the following day.

However, cargo unloading was delayed after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb 28. Just a day after berthing, a missile struck an oil reservoir about 200 metres from the ship, triggering a fire.

This created uncertainty among the 31 Bangladeshi crew members regarding their safety.

Cargo unloading began a few days later. Although the vessel was initially scheduled to return to Qatar after discharging cargo, the plan was cancelled due to the conflict. It was then supposed to sail to Mumbai.

However, reaching Mumbai would have required crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a key global trade route that has effectively been closed to shipping amid the conflict.

At that point, UAE Coast Guard personnel instructed the vessel to move to a safer area and avoid the high-risk zone. Since then, it has remained in the waters off Sharjah.

Over the past two months, while staying in various ports across the Persian Gulf, the crew reportedly witnessed missile or drone attacks almost daily.