Khalil Rahman from Sitakunda – A chemical tanker named “Memei,” brought to Chittagong for scrapping, will no longer be dismantled at a Sitakunda shipbreaking yard after being blacklisted by the United States. The importing company has initiated processes to return the vessel to its original owner.
The ship arrived and anchored at the Chittagong Port outer anchorage on May 22. It was originally scheduled to be taken to a shipbreaking yard in Sitakunda for dismantling. However, on May 28, the US Department of State and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) placed “Memei” on their sanctions list.
The vessel, valued at approximately BDT 61 crore, was imported by SN Corporation. The firm is owned by Chittagong-based businessman and Eastern Bank PLC Chairman Shawkat Ali Chowdhury, locally known as “Disco Shawkat.”
While the company has not released an official statement, sources close to the matter confirmed that the decision to return the ship was made directly due to the US sanctions.
US authorities allege that “Memei” was involved in transporting petrochemical products from Iran in July 2024. Based on these allegations, the ship’s registered owner, Hong Kong-based Ever Shining Limited, has also been sanctioned. Similar punitive actions were taken against another vessel named “Flora,” owned by the same company.
According to vessel tracking data, the Palau-flagged “Memei” (IMO: 9133082) is a 44,800-ton capacity chemical and oil tanker. Built in 1997, the ship has a Light Displacement Tonnage (LDT) of 9,877.1 tons, a length of 180 meters, and a width of 32.2 meters.
The US move was executed under Executive Order 13846, part of Washington’s “maximum pressure” policy against Iran.