Daily Times

Pakistan is fortunate to have a shipyard solely due to visionary outlook of father of the nation Quaid e Azam, who desired to see Pakistan’s future as a maritime nation. Therefore, immediately after creation of Pakistan, steps were taken to organize a shipping company and a shipyard. Quaid’s dream in respect of a shipping company came true during his lifetime; whereas, project known as Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Ltd. (KS&EW), was approved in a cabinet meeting, presided by the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan. The establishment of facility was thought as essential as defence of Pakistan. The government of Pakistan and Germany provided the financing of the project under a loan agreement in 1952. Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Limited (KS&EW) was established in 1957 as a project of Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) Government of Pakistan. It is a Public Ltd (unlisted) Company, with its shares owned by Ministry of Defence Production and Pakistan Navy.

KS&EW is an Autonomous Body with a Board of Directors, headed by Chief of the Naval Staff, working under Companies Act 2017. It is administratively controlled by Ministry of Defence Production, Government of Pakistan. KS&EW is an IMS certified company from M/s Lloyds Register UK.

KS&EW holds a vision to make Pakistan a leading shipbuilding country of the region, in line with its true potential and ideal location. This will directly contribute towards economic development and poverty alleviation from the country.

Situated at West Wharf, DockyardRoad and spread over an area of 71 acres, KS&EW has a large shipbuilding hall, three shipbuilding berths, two graving docks, fabrication shop, equipped machine shop, and other supporting facilities like grit blast / painting, carpentry, pipe fitting and lightsteel fabrication shop, foundries etc. There are three main areas of business, namely:

i) Shipbuilding

ii) Ship Repair

iii) Heavy General Engineering

SHIPBUILDING

KS&EW is equipped to build all types of marine crafts, cargo vessels, container ships, oil tankers, harbour tugs, pilot boats, hopper barges, dredgers, launches and bulk carriers up to 26,000 TDW.To provide back-up support todefenceindustry, KS&EW has developed the capability of indigenous construction of Patrol Boats, Gun Boats & Missile Boats size vessels.It has participated in the construction of state of the art Agosta 90B Submarine in collaboration with France. Moreover, ithas delivered mega project of F22P Frigate in 2013 in collaboration with M/s CSTC – China, meeting the contractual timeline whilst maintaining international quality standards. The prestigious mega project of construction of 17,000 tons Fleet Tanker for Pakistan Navy has been commissioned on 16 Oct. 2018.

Till date, KS&EW has built and delivered 448 ships and marine crafts of various sizes to local as well as foreign customers, which include large ocean going cargo ships, ocean goingbulk carriers, Floating Docks, Fleet Tankers, Frigate, tugs, tankers, grab/cutter suction dredgers, buoy lifting vessels, pilot boats, passenger ferries and other boats, launches andbarges,etc. Presently a Fast Attack Craft (Missile) for Pakistan Navy, 1500 T MPV for Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and 7 Bridge Erection Boats for Pakistan Army are under construction while a contract for construction of 02 x Milgem Class Corvettes for Pakistan Navy with technical collaboration of M/s ASFAT A.S. (Turkey) has recently been signed. Moreover, a contract of construction of 8 x AIP Submarines for PN was also signed between CSOC, China and DGMP / KS&EW. Out of total 8 x submarines, 4 will be constructed in China while remaining 4 at KS&EW. Presently, up-gradation work for construction of submarine has commenced at KS&EW.

Self reliance and indigenization in maritime defencehas been the fore front of Government of Pakistan specially Pakistan Navy and it is in this context, KS&EW is progressing towards the goal.Construction of F 22P Frigate with China under Transfer of Technology, indigenous construction of 02 x 32 Tons Bollard Pull Tug and ongoing project of construction of Fast Attack Craft (Missile) for Pakistan Navy are recent examples.

With recently upgraded infrastructure, KS&EW is now a state of the art yard which is able to compete with similar size yards in the international market. A large number of KS&EW workforce have also undergone training in China and Pakistan in modern and sophisticated shipbuilding techniques.

SHIPREPAIR

KS&EW has a comprehensive setup to repair naval and commercial vessels. So far, over 5000 vessels of national and international origin have been repaired. Pakistan Navy, Karachi Port Trust, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and Port Qasim Authority are regular customers of KS&EW for repairs of their ships. Modest facilities exist in the KS&EW for undertaking all types of Above Water and Under Water repairs of ships. There are two dry docks available for under water repairs, which have the capacity to dock vessels up to 26,000 DWT. Further 02 quay walls 165 M & 500 M are available for above water repair work.

GENRAL ENGINEERING

KS&EW can rightly be called “the first major heavy mechanical engineering industry of Pakistan”. Although KS&EW is mainly designed for shipbuilding, its role in support of local industry and developmental engineering in the country is prominent. It has a long record of service to industry. Its engineering division undertakes construction of package type fire-tube boilers of up to 600 HP – 250 PSI, water tube boilers of up to 80 tons/ hour, pressure vessels, LPG tanks, heat exchangers, storage tanks of all kinds, gates for dams, barrages, conveyors and elevators for chemical, petroleum and cement Industries, complete sugar plants ranging from 4000 – 5000 TCD capacity, sugar mill machinery, all types of cranes, steel structures and towers, caravans, overhead steel bridges and sewage treatment plants etc.

Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Ltd has already manufactured more than 180 Cranes of heavy machine & light range.

Keeping in view the ever rising sugar vendor industry which has reached around Rs. 22 B per annum, serious efforts have been made to get the meaningful share in the pie. In this regard a well equipped Foundry facility has been established recently.In parallel to the manufacturing of Sugar Mill Rollers to local customers, KS&EW has also entered into the international market and delivered27 sugar mill rollers to Philippines and Thailand during 2018.

SHIP LIFT & TRANFER SYSTEM

Most prominent upgradation of yard includes the planned installation of state of art Ship Lift and Transfer System (SL&TS). The project for installation of Ship Lift and Transfer System would enable lifting of ships, submarines and commercial vessels from sea and place them on land in a short time to ensure quick repair cycles.

This project is being executed on fast track basis, and is expected to be completed by end 2019. Once completed, the project has great potential to attract a vast range of local and international clients for repairs and construction of warships, submarines and commercial vessels. It will also enable KS&EW to construct and repair almost 95% of all types of vessels in Pakistan.

KS&EW has played a historical role in transferring of technologies and broadening the industrial base of country. Extensive up gradation and modernization of Karachi Shipyard has converted KSEW into a state of the art shipyard which is ready to undertake all shipbuilding / ship repair requirements of maritime sector. Timely deliveries of projects to valued customers during the recent past have increased the credibility of KSEW in the market.

KS&EW is one of the few yards in the world which can undertake submarines construction. Its highly trained / motivated workforce is eager to undertake more projects with full zeal and energy. While striving to develop maritime and industrial sector of Pakistan, KS&EW is progressing to achieve the national goal of self-reliance and indigenization in maritime sector.

Today KS&EW stands on strong footings and a profit bearing entity of Ministry of Defence Production.

Published in Daily Times, November 24^th 2018.