It owns a number of ships and oil tankers, and also charters sea-going vessels from other operators.

The vessels are used to carry ready-made garments and other export items, and also to import crude oil from Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman realized the importance of the shipping sector at that time.

[1] In March 2022, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation requested $22.4M from its insurer, Sadharan Bima Corporation, after its cargo ship Banglar Samriddhi was hit by a missile while docked at the Olvia port in Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Although it is a semi-autonomous body, the minister of shipping of the Government of Bangladesh acts as the chairman of the corporation.