KARACHI: Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) has issued a tender seeking consultancy firms and internationally recognized classification societies to serve as its technical representative during construction of a 1,100 TEU container feeder vessel at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Limited.
The vessel, which will sail under the Pakistan flag and be classed with Bureau Veritas, is intended to carry both dry and refrigerated containerized cargo on international routes. PNSC says the project represents a broader push to reduce the country's dependence on foreign shipping lines.
Nearly 95% of Pakistan's trade by volume moves by sea, making the sector critical to the country's economy. The corporation currently manages a fleet of 14 vessels with a combined carrying capacity of nearly 1 million deadweight tons.
PNSC, a statutory corporation under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs established in 1979, said selected consultants must maintain a physical presence at the Karachi Shipyard throughout the construction and sea trials phases. The engagement will be governed by BIMCO's standard vessel construction supervision agreement, known as SUPERMAN.
The scope of work covers the full construction cycle from reviewing shipbuilding contracts, structural drawings and machinery layouts in the pre-construction phase, to verifying compliance with International Maritime Organization conventions including SOLAS, MARPOL and Load Line regulations during design and engineering.
Consultants will also be required to attend classification society meetings and submit minutes to PNSC within three working days. All correspondence, drawings and records produced during the project will remain the property of PNSC, the corporation said.
Pakistan currently relies heavily on foreign shipping lines, a dependence that contributes to high freight costs and foreign exchange outflows, particularly during global supply chain disruptions.
Government officials say adding domestically built vessels to the PNSC fleet will help retain freight earnings within the country and improve the corporation's ability to support Pakistan's import and export trade. Building vessels locally would also contribute to industrial growth, job creation and technology transfer at Karachi Shipyard.
PNSC, constituted under Ordinance XX of 1979 and operating under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, currently manages 14 vessels of various types with a total carrying capacity of 996,683 deadweight tons. The corporation is principally engaged in international shipping, including transportation of dry and liquid bulk cargoes, chartering of vessels and other related businesses.
Once completed, the new container ship is expected to enhance PNSC's operational capacity and competitiveness at a time when global shipping markets remain volatile due to geopolitical tensions and fluctuating freight rates.
