Noor Ali

Boats of Arakan

Woodwork (WDW)

Transport

Duitala borjaans, or ‘two-storey big ships’, are large ocean-going vessels that carry both passengers and freight. They are also used along deep inland waterways, to move people and goods across Arakan.

Borjaans have two diesel engines but usually only use one at a time, keeping the other one as a backup. Historically, ships like these had large sails and were powered by wind. Duitala Borjaans are made from Garjan (Dipterocarpus alatus) and  Bailam (Anisoptera scaphula) wood and are found mostly around Buthidaung. They are between 60 - 70 feet long.

Vessels like these are rarely, if ever, privately owned and are generally a type of government-maintained public transport, plying along set routes between cities and towns.