Government Of Pakistan News

Five shipbreaking workers were killed and one injured in a fire that took place in the shipbreaking yards of Gadani, Pakistan, Monday morning. The deadly fire broke out on board of the beached vessel GAZ FOUNTAIN (IMO 8406054). The LPG tanker’s last beneficial owner was the Greek shipping line Naftomar. The vessel’s name was changed to RAIN and its Panama flag swapped for the end-of-life flag Comoros just before the last voyage – a clear indicator of the use of a cash buyer. The accident occurred at yard n° 60, owned by Rizwan Diwan Farooq, the former president of the Pakistan Ship Breakers’ Association. According to reports by newspaper The Dawn, Farooq was detained after having fled the yard. The newspaper reported that the fire broke out due to a “chemical foam” present in the ship.

On March 28, 2015, officials from Engro Corporation, Excelerate Energy and the Government of Pakistan were present for the inauguration of Pakistan's first LNG import terminal in Port Qasim. Located in a channel of the Indus River east of Karachi, the terminal is a result of a fast-track LNG import solution built to alleviate the energy shortage facing the country, and was brought into service 11 months from the start of construction. Utilizing Excelerate's floating storage and regasification vessel (FSRU), the Exquisite, the facility has the capacity to deliver up to 690 MMcf/d of natural gas directly to Sui Southern Gas Company's natural gas pipeline system. As part of the commissioning process, Exquisite loaded its first LNG cargo in Ras Laffan, Qatar, on March 24, 2015.

Welcoming the latest policy, Ship breakers in Pakistan defended the imposition of 15% Regulatory Duty (RD) on the import of all steel billets, steel bars and wire rods. Describing the step as much needed and timely, the Pakistan Ship-Breakers Association (PSBA) lauded the imposition of RD. "The Pakistan Ship breakers Association salutes the Government of Pakistan for this bold move which has helped save hundreds of thousands of jobs as well as the local steel industry," it said in a statement. The government’s decision has come as a response to lengthy lobbying on part of the steel industry, which was trying to secure its survival in the face of international competition.

Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Lewis and Clark and its 130 embarked civil service mariners and nine military department members are key contributors to the disaster response/humanitarian assistance being provided to flood-ravaged Pakistan. The ship is providing underway replenishment to ships of the USS Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group in the Arabian Sea as they support humanitarian relief efforts in the wake of epic monsoons. Lewis and Clark’s resupply mission helps keep ships of the ready group supplied with food, fuel and other supplies – enabling them to remain at sea, on station and able to provide help to a country where  thousands are reported dead, and millions are reported displaced or homeless.

The Pakistan government has decided to upgrade the basic infrastructure for construction of commercial cargo ships and warships, including F-22 P frigates, in Karachi, according to a report on www.uniquepakistan.com. The government has allocated funds for the fiscal year 2007-08 and it has already dropped Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Limited (KSEW) from its proposed privatization list. It is envisaged that if shipbuilding projects for the Pakistan Navy, Karachi Port Trust (KPT)…

The wreck of the TASMAN SPIRIT has been successfully removed. The aft section was re-floated on Saturday, March 6, and was yesterday delivered to buyers at Gadani Beach in the province of Baluchistan, Pakistan. This follows the earlier removal of the forward section of the tanker that had run aground in the channel into Karachi Port on July 27 last year. The wreck removal contractors SMIT Salvage B.V., were operating under a wreck removal contract agreed with The American Club, the vessel’s liability insurers. Speaking in London, Brian Davies, Claims Director of The American Club said, ‘We are very pleased with the outcome. SMIT have completed a difficult operation under difficult circumstances well within the required time frame.