Steel Cutting Ceremony for Pakistan’s Fleet Replenishment Vessel
Steel Cutting Ceremony of the Fleet Replenishment Vessel has been held at Pakistan’s Karaçi Shipyard following the one-year-long design procedure of STM. The agreement concerning this vessel and formed considering the needs of the Pakistani Naval Forces was signed in January 2013 between STM and Pakistani Ministry of Defence Production. To the Steel Cutting Ceremony constituting one of the major stages of the project that was signed between STM and Pakistani Naval Forces, Undersecretary for Defence Industries Mr. Murad Bayar, Turkey’s Ambassador to Pakistan Mr. Sadık Babür Girgin, STM Chairman of the Board-Deputy Undersecretary for Defence Industries Dr.Faruk Özlü, Member of the Board-Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) Electronic Warfare Department’s Head Mrs.Elife Ünal, STM General Manager Recep Barut, Vice General Manager Mr. Yavuz Bartu and Marine Projects Director Mr. Savaş Onur and accompanying delegation attended. On behalf of Pakistan, Pakistan Defence Production Minister Rana Tanveer, Ministry of Defence Ammunition Production Director Brigadier Adnan Nazir, Karaçi Shipyard’s General Manager Brigadier Syed Hasan Nasır Shah, Production Manager Commodore Saleem Iqbal, remained at the ceremony.
In his speech at the ceremony at Karaçi Harbor Bayar stated that they wished to further improve cooperation with the friendly two nations Pakistan and Turkey and said; “We would like to develop our relations with Pakistan in defence production. Defence potential of both countries could be increased further through mutual cooperation. We have a lot in common and within this context Pakistan and Turkey should take steps for assuring the stability in the region. Today we witness more than merely the construction of a vessel, one of my dreams is coming true and we wish to take our cooperation to higher levels through various similar projects in near future. Currently, both of the countries are part of various military cooperation relations and with the start of this vessel’s construction a new page is opened in this respect”.
Extending information on the vessel Bayar mentioned that this fleet replenishment vessel of 17000 tons weight shall have a capacity to remain at the sea for an uninterrupted period of three months and be able to achieve refueling at the sea. Pakistan’s Defence Production Minister Rana Tanveer expressed that shipyards of high capacity in which the maintenance and repair of great vessels could be realized would be built in Gwadar at the southwest of the country in near future. Stating that their relations with Turkey are worthy of respect Tanveer extended her gratitude to everyone for their efforts in construction of the vessel.
Earlier MD KS&EW, Rear Admiral Syed Hasan Nasir Shah SI(M) in his welcome address thanked MoDP (Government of Pakistan) and especially Pakistan Navy for their continued patronage. He highlighted the brotherly relations with Turkey and said that this everlasting friendship now enters a new era as we together undertake this mega project of building the Fleet Tanker. He further said KS&EW is fully equipped with infrastructure and have highly trained workforce of technicians and engineers who are ready to undertake more challenging project of Fleet Tanker with zeal and energy.
Project will Last for Four Years
The agreement signed by the Pakistani Defence Production Ministry and STM contains vessel’s design package, material, equipment, ELD, spare parts, testing and trial, shipyard and user trainings and consultancy services. The weight of the vessel is 15,600 tons, its height is 156 meters and cruising speed is maximum 20 knots. The project shall last for four years. A hospital for emergency needs shall exist on the vessel and the vessel would be able to accomplish transportation of fluids such as fuel, water and solid cargo such as food and medicine. At the stern of the vessel there will be a helicopter hangar and helicopter landing strip.
