The assignment is a market; valuation and technical study of Bangladesh dry bulk cargo shipping market and the companies operating it; with a focus on Akij shipping business (¡°Akij¡± or the ¡°Company¡±) and their strategy; their fleet; and competitive positioning regarding their fleet expansion plan.Established in the early 1950s; Akij is a Bangladeshi conglomerate and one of the main shipping companies in the country. The shipping business was established to support the Group's extensive logistics needs and to capitalize on the growing demand for maritime transport in Bangladesh. The company has since evolved into a significant player in the Bangladeshi maritime industry; specializing in the transportation of dry bulk cargo. As part of its expansion strategy; Akij is kickstarting a fleet renewal and capacity expansion program; and IFC is considering debt financing for this modernization and needs a consulting firm (¡°the Consultant¡±) to evaluate risks and opportunities.The broad objectives of the proposed assignment are as follows:* Market:o High level forecast: assess the current and future prospects of the Bangladeshi dry bulk market.o Competitive Landscape: to analyze the competitive positioning of Akij Shipping within the market.o Opportunities and Challenges: To identify potential growth opportunities and challenges faced by Akij Shipping in the dry bulk market.* Technical: o To evaluate the cost structure; operational efficiency; fleet management; organization and technological capabilities of Akij Shipping. * Regulatory and complianceo Compliance with applicable regulations and assessment of having a Bangladeshi flag * Fleet assessment: o Based on the market trends and the company strategy provide an analysis of Akij¡¯s business case for the purchase of the two vesselso Desktop valuation of the current fleeto Desktop opinion on the adequacy and valuation of the proposed vessels to be added to Akij¡¯s fleet.o Proposal of specifications for future acquisitions o Evaluate feasible improvements that can be implemented within the fleet to mitigate emissions or enhance overall performance