Karachi Port gets two new tugs

A dredge tender is currently under construction.

KARACHI:

The Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) on Monday handed over two tugs, built by it, to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT).

Speaking at a ceremony at the shipyard, KPT chairperson Nasreen Haque, who received the tugs, said, “We are working closely with the shipyard and also assigning them various jobs to build and repair boats and floating cranes, including one named Hathi.”

The pusher tugs are modern twin-propeller vessels for inland waters, harbour and coastal services, built with optimal layout and high-quality machinery and equipment, having overall length of 16.89 metres with 55 tons displacement, 10.7 tons of pull capacity and 9.7 knots of speed.

Haque said KPT would appreciate if KSEW completed harbour trial of the two tugs as quickly as possible.

KSEW General Manager Commodore Sajid Wazir Khan said the tugs were of world-class standards and both vessels would undergo sea trials thoroughly before their final handing over to KPT. He said a dredge tender was also being constructed for KPT, having length of 19.11 metres with displacement of 125 tons.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th,  2011.