Chittagong Port Captain Asif Receives Prestigious UN ‘IMO Bravery Award’
Chittagong Port Authority Assistant Harbor Master Captain Asif Ahmed has been formally nominated for the prestigious “Certificate for Extraordinary Courage at Sea-2026” (the highest international award for extraordinary courage at sea) of the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO).
He is being given this global recognition for his skillful and successful handling of a major industrial and environmental disaster in the Karnaphuli Channel at the risk of his life earlier this year. The award will be formally presented at the organization’s headquarters in London on December 14.
It is learnt that Captain Asif Ahmed was in charge of a highly risky operation on January 20. He was berthing the 159.9-meter-long Liberian-flagged LPG carrier ‘Gas Harmony’ loaded with 515 metric tons of propane and 4,570 metric tons of butane gas at the United Tank Terminal Jetty.
But suddenly, without any prior warning, the engine and steering of the huge ship failed. Due to the strong current, the ship became completely uncontrollable in an instant. A major disaster was approaching.
The uncontrolled ship, having lost engine power, was rapidly moving towards the nearby Kafco Ammonia Jetty. If this ship, loaded with highly flammable and explosive materials, collided with the jetty, a terrible series of explosions could have occurred. This could have resulted in massive loss of life in Chittagong city, loss of Chittagong’s habitability for a long time, serious damage to sensitive facilities of the port, and a national disaster such as the closure of this main maritime gateway of the country for a long time.
Captain Asif had only a few seconds to make a decision. At this extremely critical moment, he showed infinite courage and perfect professionalism by sacrificing his life. He ordered two anchors to be dropped on an emergency basis to stop the ship’s speed. At the same time, he went beyond conventional tactics and lifted two anchors.
Due to his foresight and perfect strategy, the moving and uncontrolled ship stopped. Saved from certain destruction, the ‘Gas Harmony’ came to a complete stop just 5 feet away from the jetty structure without any damage.
The unique talent, innovative ability, strong morale and heroism of Captain Asif Ahmed, the highest honor in the world maritime sector, have already been praised worldwide. He has also been presented with a formal certificate of appreciation by the captain and owner of the ship ‘Gas Harmony’.
It is worth noting that the IMO Extraordinary Heroism Award is the highest honor in the world maritime sector. This award is given internationally to those who have made outstanding contributions to preventing major disasters and accidents at sea by risking their lives. This achievement of Captain Asif has not only strengthened the position of Chittagong Port in the international arena, but has also further enhanced the image of Bangladesh.
