Pakistan aims to be a shipbuilding country

The Pakistan government has said it is committed to making Pakistan a leading shipbuilding country of the region to take advantage of country?s ideal location and realising its true potential in this sector. The prime minister was chairing the first policy board meeting on development of shipbuilding industry in Pakistan which approved the work plan for the establishment of two large shipyards on joint venture basis with leading foreign shipyards.

This would also usher in a new era of economic activities, creating new jobs and improving the standard of living of the people. The prime minister said shipbuilding industry can become the country?s great asset due to its potential and would contribute to the revitalising of the national economy. He said the commercially strategic location of Pakistan is a major factor and, in the next 50 years, will see a growing demand for new ships around the world.

The prime minister approved the establishment of an executive committee which will ensure implementation of the decisions taken by the policy board. He also approved the setting up a separate cell of professionals under MD, KS&EW to undertake approved tasks and handle the work of development of shipbuilding industry in Pakistan. He emphasised the need for the development of human resource in this sector and asked the Karachi Shipyard to prepare a highly skilled workforce. The government is simultaneously taking steps to facilitate and promote the marine equipment manufacturing industries and other support industries in the country.

Shipbuilding is an attractive industry for developing nations, because shipyards are labour intensive and employ a large number of workers including a wide range of ancillary industries. In his presentation, MD Karachi Shipyard and Engineer Works briefed the meeting about the salient features of the proposed shipyards. The two shipyards to be built at Gawadar and Port Qasim cover approximately an area of 500 acres and each would also include two dry docks of approximately 600,000 dwt thus catering for building and repairing the largest vessels.