KARACHI: The Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW) on Wednes­day launched a 1,500-tonne state-of-the-art Maritime Patrol Vessel (MPV) built for the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).

The MPV is a multi-mission vessel with a steel hull and aluminium super structure of 95 metres length and 12.2 metres breadth and can achieve maximum speed up to 26 knots. The ship has been built in technical collaboration with the China Shipbuilding & Trading Company (CSTC) and Huang Pu Shipyard, China. It is fully equipped to enforce maritime security, search and rescue missions in the maritime Exclusive Econo­mic Zone (EEZ) of Pakistan.

Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Kaleem Shaukat graced the occasion as the chief guest.

He congratulated the KS&EW, CSTC and the Huang Pu Shipyard on achieving this important milestone ahead of the scheduled time frame and said that it was yet another landmark project that spoke volumes for the evergreen friendship between China and Pakistan.

He said responsibilities of Pakistan Navy and PMSA had increased manifold after the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and extension in the EEZ.

In his address of welcome, KS&EW Managing Director Rear Admiral Ather Saleem said that the MPV would act as a force multiplier for the PMSA in safeguarding the maritime frontiers of the country together with the Pakistan Navy. He also spoke about ongoing mega projects at the KS&EW, including construction of 02 x MILGEM Class Corvettes and 04 x HANGOR Class submarines for Pakistan Navy, and said that preparations were in full swing to start the projects as per the scheduled timeline.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2019