Photo shows an eye-catching solar catamaran on the Shitalakshya River in Narayanganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh on Aug. 5, 2021. (Xinhua)
Abdullah al Mahmud, a Bangladeshi ship captain who dreamed of building a modern and eye-catching catamaran in Bangladesh, has made his dream come true using fiberglass and raw materials from China.
DHAKA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- An eye-catching solar catamaran built in Bangladesh with Chinese materials and technology has won the Gustave Trouvé Electric Boat Awards 2021 in the Customized/DIY Electric Boats category.
The recreational vessel was built by Abdullah al Mahmud, a Bangladeshi ship captain.
The yacht dubbed as "IRON" with its six cabins has now been offering its cruise experience on the Shitalakshya River in Narayanganj on the outskirts of Bangladesh capital Dhaka.
Elated to win the Gustave Trouvé Electric Boat Awards 2021 in the Customized/DIY Electric Boats category, Mahmud said such an international recognition will pave the way for building more modern ocean-going vessels in countries like Bangladesh.
After surviving the preliminary voting round of the competition, the seafaring man said their confidence further consolidated to win it.
Photo shows the inside of award-winning solar catamaran on the Shitalakshya River in Narayanganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh on Aug. 5, 2021. (Xinhua)
"We're very happy now to have won the award," he said.
He noted that the riverine country has a long tradition of building beautiful boats since ancient times and that craftsmen for thousands of years have been building stunning boats using natural materials.
But Bangladesh was lagging behind other countries in building eye-catching boats, the skipper has earlier told Xinhua.
He said the structural designs of boats in Bangladesh have remained virtually the same throughout the years, even though the boats are now powered.
Therefore, he decided to build a modern-day, eye-catching catamaran, and traveled thousands of miles to bring his dream to fruition.
To design the twin-hulled craft, he visited France and for high-technology aspects and materials, he went to China.
"Catamarans are not commonly made in Bangladesh, although some have been imported from overseas," Mahmud said at a riverbank on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Photo shows the inside of the solar catamaran on the Shitalakshya River in Narayanganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh on Aug. 5, 2021. (Xinhua)
He said an expert based in France designed the eye-catching and environmentally-friendly vessel, and that the overall spec was to ensure safety and high quality at an affordable price.
He chose not to use European or U.S. materials or technology because they were not cost-effective. Instead, he relied upon Chinese materials and technology as they were of high quality and are not overpriced.
His boat used "Made-in-China" fiberglass and Chinese raw materials.
"It makes perfect sense for us to use Chinese engines along with solar cells and batteries also made in China," the seafaring man said.
"The type of motor we imported from China can last up to 15 years," Mahmud said, while looking proudly at his yacht.■
