State-owned Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) has signed a deal worth $76.69m to acquire two bulk carriers from US-based Hellenic Dry Bulk Ventures LLC.

The vessels, each with a carrying capacity of 63,500 deadweight tonnes, are being built at Nanyang Shipyard in China and are scheduled for delivery by November. BSC will finance the purchase with its own funds, a first for the corporation.

The decision was approved at a board meeting on 17 September and disclosed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) website. The cabinet committee on government purchase had earlier cleared the procurement on 12 August.

BSC currently operates five ships—two bulk carriers and three chemical and oil tankers. The expansion comes as the company reported stronger earnings in the third quarter of the 2024–25 fiscal year, posting a Tk 75.50 crore profit, up 10% year-on-year, supported by higher freight rates and vessel sales.

As of 31 August, the government owned 52.10% of BSC’s shares, institutional investors held 21.34%, and general investors accounted for 26.56%, according to DSE figures.

Founded in 1972, BSC remains central to Bangladesh’s maritime trade, handling key bulk and tanker operations for the country’s imports and exports.