Contract for construction of Fleet Tanker (Logistic Support
Ship) for Pakistan Navy was signed between Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP),
Pakistan and M/s STM of
Turkey on 22 Jan 2013 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan .
The contract has been signed by Director General Munitions Productions Rear
Admiral Imtiaz Ahmed SI(M) on behalf of the Government of Pakistan and Ms. Elife
Unal, Chairperson of the Board of M/s STM and the Department Head of
Electronics Warfare and Sensors programmes in SSM on behalf of M/s STM, Turkey .
The main highlights of the project are that, design of the
ship alongwith kit of Material (KoM) will be provided by M/s STM and the
complete construction/assembly activities will be undertaken at Karachi
Shipyard and Engineering Works Ltd (KS & EW). Ship construction is a
strategic industry, infact no country has gained the status of a developed
country without the development of the shipbuilding industry and trained
manpower in this field. Therefore, construction Fleet Tanker at KS& EW will
not only enhance ship construction (tanker) capacity/expertise of the KS & EW
but will also help in developing its human resource to meet the future
challenges of warship design and construction. Local downstream industry, in
the long run will also benefit from the ship construction in the form of
procurement of construction consumables by KS& EW from the local market.
The Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works is already
constructing ships/craft for PN, however, this is the first time in the history
of Pakistan that KS& EW will build a Fleet Tanker/Logistics Support Ship at
its facilities. Construction of the Fleet Tanker is in line with Admiral
Mohammad Asif Sandila NI (M), Chief of the Naval Staff’s vision of achieving
self reliance and indigenization of defence equipment. The tanker with its
modern design and state of the art capabilities will significantly enhance PN’s
Fleet combat prowess and logistic stamina.
KS&EW has three main business areas: building military
and civil vessels, ship repair and heavy engineering. It builds vessels for all
of Pakistan ’s
port authorities. Since inception in the 1950s the yard has built around 440
different vessels and is equipped build large vessels, such as naval vessels, tugs,
dredgers, hopper barges, ferries, trawlers and launches.
Ship repair is a major part of KS&EW’s undertakings and
the company has so far repaired more than 5,000 domestic and international
vessels. In order to enhance the capacity and capability for shipbuilding and
repair, KS&EW is installing a ship lift and transfer system, which is due
to be completed by the current year.
The partnership in the field of defence production is reflective of the relations enjoyed by two countries. Pakistan
and Turkey
have long-standing strategic ties. Both brotherly Muslim countries have time-tested
relations. Today’s ceremony was prestigious, bringing further closer the two
countries.
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