State-owned dockyards need to consider long-term interests with high capability by building vessels similar to the 150-year-old Dala Dockyard.
SENIOR General Min Aung Hlaing stressed the need to conduct research to use battery power for running vessels.
A ceremony to mark the 150th anniversary of the historic Dala Dockyard took place in Dala Township, Yangon Region, with an address by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing yesterday morning.
On his arrival, the Senior General and party were welcomed by children from families of the staff at Dala Dockyard.
Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo, Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than and Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein formally opened the No 1 upgraded dock lane, new dock trailer and 1,500-tonne tugboat as a gesture of honouring the sesquicentenary celebration of the dockyard.
The Senior General unveiled the plaque of the heavy renovation of the historic diesel workshop built in 1875 at the shipyard and the historic signboard and sprinkled scented water on the plaque.
Speaking on the occasion, the Senior General said that the 150th anniversary of the shipyard took place at the ancient diesel workshop where they all watched a video clip on records of Inland Water Transport and Dala Dockyard.
He continued that inland water transport must be upgraded to coastal shipping, river freight transport to coastal freight transport, container transport and maritime freight systems to achieve greater connectivity and growth.
The Senior General highlighted that State-owned dockyards need to consider long-term interests with high capability by building vessels similar to Dala Dockyard.
The Senior General stressed the need to conduct research to use battery power for running vessels.
He added that shipyards must be equipped with necessary facilities such as dock lanes, machinery, construction workshops, forklifts and heavy machinery, and essential equipment for vessel design creation to conform to global standards.
He underlined that relevant maritime departments have to exchange experiences and technologies of the ship-building process under the maritime rules and regulations for the existence of historic dockyards to develop the maritime sector development of the State.
The Senior General emphasized that to ensure the safe and secure operation of inland water transport, efforts must be made not only in riverine transport but also in coastal shipping, coastal cargo transport, and the integration of coastal and riverine passenger and cargo transport services.
He underscored that by assessing the state’s funding support, market availability, and the potential for economic profitability, efforts should be made to enhance the transport of goods along the coastal waterways by leveraging the capabilities of the Dala Dockyard.
SAC Member Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo reported on the background of the shipyard, work process, and implementation of shipyard functions in accord with the guidance of the Head of State and plans.
The Senior General presented cash awards to employees of the shipyard and visited the exhibition of the shipyard on documentary photos, scale models of vessels and others displayed at the ancient diesel workshop.
The Senior General inspected the heavy renovation of vessels, testing the scale models of vessels to build the coastal cargo vessels at the worksite of the shipyard and left necessary guidance.
Also present at the ceremony were Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, council members, union ministers, union-level dignitaries, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of Yangon Command, officials from the Ministry of Transport and Communications and employees from the shipyard.
Dala Dockyard is the oldest shipyard under the Inland Water Transport. It renovated IWT vessels, created vessel designs and built ships in successive eras while manufacturing machinery and vessel parts, repairing vessels of other departments and enterprises successfully. As workshops, dock lanes and machinery are old at Dala Dockyard with lease capacity, docklanes were renovated, new machinery installed and buildings improved at the shipyard under the guidance of the Head of State. Hence, Dala Dockyard has plans to implement its new future duties assigned by the IWT, based on developed human resources, by constantly monitoring the changing trading system. — MNA/TTA
