F.P. Report
KARACHI: Steel cutting ceremony of 48 tons Bollard Pull (BP) tug for Pakistan Navy (PN), was held at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW) on Wednesday.
Vice Admiral Faisal Rasool Lodhi, Commander Karachi graced the occasion as chief guest, said a news release.
The ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials from Government of Pakistan, Pakistan Navy, Corporate Sector and KS&EW.
The tug was fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and machinery complying class requirements and all international standards including SOLAS and MARPOL.
It had 25 m overall length with a displacement of 510 tons, had a maximum speed of 12 knots and propelled by two diesel engines with azimuth drive propulsion system with automated integrated machinery and tug handling system.
On the occasion, chief guest Vice Admiral Faisal Rasool Lodhi, Commander Karachi congratulated Karachi Shipyard for achieving the important milestone in difficult times of pandemic.
He said the strong commitment and support of Ministry of Defense Production was indeed a source of satisfaction, which was instrumental for successful completion of this and other ongoing projects.
KS&EW had a vital contribution in shaping the future outlook of Navy, besides creating job opportunities for masses. Recent years had seen substantial growth in KS&EW volume and variety of work particularly in the domain of ship building.
He said contract of this tug was another landmark event as manifestation of the vision of Chief of Naval Staff in which he underscored utmost emphasis on indigenous defense capabilities.
Earlier Managing Director KS&EW Rear Admiral Ather Saleem in his welcome address said “We at KS&EW are committed to deliver high quality platforms and services to the utmost satisfaction of end users.”
He expressed profound thanks to Vice Admiral Faisal Rasool Lodhi, Commander Karachi for his presence and said that despite COVID-19 restrictions his presence was indeed a great source of encouragement.
