Crown Cement to buy cargo ship worth Tk 148 crore

Crown Cement PLC has announced plans to purchase a second-hand ocean-going mother vessel at a cost of Tk 147.60 crore.

The mother vessel, a large cargo ship that sails long international routes between major ports, carrying bulk goods or containers in large volumes, has a capacity of 53,569 deadweight tonnes, according to a price-sensitive disclosure today.

The acquisition comes as Crown Cement posted stronger earnings in the July–September quarter of FY2025–26, driven by higher sales despite rising import duties and raw material costs.

Its earnings per share rose 80 percent year-on-year to Tk 0.45, compared to Tk 0.25 in the same period of 2024.

The company said the per-unit sales price declined 1.59 percent, while international raw material costs increased, but overall sales growth offset the pressure.

As of October 31, sponsors and directors held 52.22 percent of shares, while the public owned 29.15 percent. Institutions and foreign investors accounted for the remainder, according to Dhaka Stock Exchange data.

Crown Cement, formerly MI Cement Factory Limited, is the parent company of Crown Cement Group. Established in 1994, it has supplied cement to Bangladesh's domestic market for more than three decades and remains one of the country's leading manufacturers.