PNSC starts 1,100-TEU ship construction

Construction of a 1,100 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container vessel for the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) has been launched at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW), as the government seeks to strengthen the country's maritime capacity and reduce dependence on foreign carriers.

According to an official statement issued on Tuesday, the steel-cutting ceremony was inaugurated by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry.

Addressing the ceremony, the minister said the project marked a strategic milestone for the maritime industry, saying it reflected the government's commitment to revitalising the shipping and shipbuilding sectors and aligned with national economic priorities. He said the 1,100-TEUvessel was being constructed using domestic resources and expertise, reflecting the country's shipbuilding capabilities.

The minister noted that adding the 1,100-TEU ship to the PNSC fleet would help reduce freight payments to foreign shipping lines, thereby conserving foreign exchange, and would strengthen the corporation's ability to support Pakistan's import and export trade. He said nearly 95% of Pakistan's trade volume is transported by sea, underlining the importance of a functional maritime sector for economic stabilityand growth. Shipping and ship repair, he added, are central components of the National Maritime Policy.

The project is also expected to generate employment for skilled and semi-skilled workers and contribute to industrial activity and technology transfer at Karachi Shipyard.