Established in 1868, we have over a century of knowledge and expertise in the field of shipping and are recognised by others within the shipping industry as a leader in South Asia.  Therefore, whatever your commodity, you can rely on us to provide you with efficient, reliable, cost effective services to meet all your cargo handling requirements.

With years of experience under our belt, we are able to offer our customers a full range of clearing & forwarding, shipping agency, freight forwarding, warehousing, land and river transportation services and much more. For more information, please visit OUR SERVICES page. 

Operating from the port city of Chittagong, we are located at the heart of the shipping industry and in very close proximity of the port and customs office. With further offices located in the capital city of Dhaka, port of Mongla and Khulna, we have a network of Ancient Steamship personnel who are administering key business areas across the country.

At Ancient Steamship, we understand the importance of putting our customers first. This is why we are committed to providing our customers with a tailored service which meets their specific needs. We are open to working with one-off projects or long term-contracts. Our expert consultants will be more than happy to discuss any of our services with you in more detail.

OUR HISTORY:

Founded in 1868 by Ouzeer Ally in the Port City of Chittagong, Ancient’s journey began as Ouzeer Ally Stevedores, a stevedoring service provider for the renowned UK based companies, The British India Steam Navigation Company Ltd and The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O).

Passing through the generations from father to son and evolving to adapt and thrive in an everchanging environment, the company was rebranded by chairman Khan Shahib Abdul Hakim Meah to Hakim & Sons, and again by the next Chair Mohammed Islam Meah in 1953 to East Pakistan Carriers as he expanded the business to Barges and Coastal Vessels owning. Islam Meah steered the Company into yet another dimension of embracing Shipping Agency and Customs Clearing & Forwarding agency, rebranding once more in 1970 to the Ancient Steamship Company and since then the company has continued to grow from strength to strength.

The current Chairman and Managing Director, Meah Mohammed Abdur Rahim, educated in UK having workexperience  at the Baltic Exchange and other renowned UK based Shipping Companies,continues the proud legacy of his father, grandfather and great grandfather, steering the Company into the future with a clear vision of ongoing growth, diversification, and evolution, using business friendly experienced human resources, skills and embracing new ways of thinking and technological solutions.

OUR BUSINESS:

• Shipping Agency  (Break Bulk, Dry Bulk, General Cargo Liner, Heavy Lift, Product Tanker, PCC, Offshore Rig & Supply Vessel).
• Clearing and Forwarding (Customs Broker).
• Warehousing.
• Door To Door Distribution.
• Food Aid Transport, Handling & Storage Specialists.
• Overland Transportation.
• Chartering.
• Barges and Lighterage.
• Oil Gas Exploration / Exploitation Supports.
• Marine Consultancy.                                     
• Freehold Property Owning.

OUR STRENGTHS:

Highly professional, experts in our field, we employ Bangladesh’s leading Mariners, Engineers, Surveyors, Sailors, Truckers and Hauliers.

We have well trained, highly skilled, experienced and qualified employees in our regular enrolment and a further pool of employees on hire on any given day. 

We are a family owned company for four generations, headquartered at the Port City of Chittagong, Bangladesh, housed at the ancestral”HAKIM MANSION” facing the Chittagong  Port and continue to uphold our proud traditions of excellence in our field flying the family flag even today.