Absence of a maritime research complex retards progress
By S.G.A. Anvery
PAKISTAN is a maritime country blessed with about 900 km long coastline enriched with an enormous potential for growth. Unfortunately these resources have not be been fully exploited, the main reason being financial constraints. However, policy-makers can not be completely absolved for not giving the priority to the marine sector which it deserves. Since independence, whatever rudimentary marine enterprises were set up in the public sector could not flourish owing to the lack of government support. In fact, areas like shipping and shipbuilding, ship-repairing and ship breaking made good strides initially but for the lack of financial support and subsidy for their regular up-gradation, could not stand the challenges of the regional market.
The Emirate of Dubai and the Gulf state of Bahrain next door present an eye-opening example. In a very short span of time they have become a centre of maritime activities in the region. Arab ship-building and repair yard of Bahrain started its operations 20 years back and is now regarded as one of the top international ship repair yards—a first choice for many western shipping companies, including the regular docking of their ULCCs and VLCCs.
Failure to formulate a well-defined maritime policy indicates that in Pakistan maritime’s role has not received any serious thought. During the last 57 years, the following establishments were founded, mostly under the administrative control of the ministry of communication:
Directorate General Port and Shipping, Pakistan Mercantile Marine, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, National Tanker Co, Pakistan Marine Fisheries, Pakistan Coast Guards, Port Qasim Authority, Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Ltd, Pakistan Marine Academy, Gawadar Port Authority, Gawadar mini fish harbour and Bin Qasim Container Terminal.
Now the time has come to re-evaluate our maritime potentials. Our marine sector is still an embryonic stage which needs a strong catalyst for its rapid growth and development.
Benefiting from the experience of leading maritime nations, the establishment of an Institution like maritime research and development complex (MRDC) should be given the top priority.
* The proposed MRDC can undertake extensive financial and technical feasibility, logistical and related studies in the following areas: * introducing locally-built trawlers for deep sea fishing; identifying domestic ferry routes for ferry services; setting up export-oriented fish processing and canning factories at Karachi and Gwadar; producing ship-building quality steel plates and profiles at PASMIC to substitute their import; setting up a plant for manufacturing of ship containers.
* Identifying and developing new tourism sights along the coast; developing windmill farms for power generation along Makran coast; setting up large-scale de-salination plant near Karachi; introducing faculties of Nav.Arch and Marine Engineering at Karachi University.
*Acquisition of a passenger ship for deployment on Haj operations; expanding ship-building and ship repairing facilities; implementing IMO recommendations for the preserving marine environment; preparing proposals for the acquisition of oil-spill containment and recovery vessels; preparing well-coordinated specifications and tender documents of various Harbour Crafts including Dredgers and Hopper barges to facilitate port authorities; preparing proposal for the acquisition of modern fire fighting vessels; estimating funding requirements of BMR of various maritime establishments.
*Preparing proposals for developing marine salvage technologies; planning infrastructure for operational requirements of offshore drilling platforms e.g. number and sizes of fuel and water supply vessels, passenger ferries, helicopter ambulance service; setting up a central marine design bureau and tank-test facility; offering consultative and advisory services to local entrepreneurs.
* Establishing an extensive marine reference library containing transactions of international marine institutions, rulebooks of classification societies, equipment catalogues, Internet access; encouraging foreign investment and setting up ship-repair facilities; organizing vendor development and training programmers.
