Pakistan and a Turkish shipbuilder signed two contracts Monday worth $33.46 million for the procurement of four azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugboats (LNG compatible) and two pilot boats, Anadolu Agency reported.
The contracts were signed between Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and Sanmar Shipyards, according to a statement from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
Sanmar, Turkey’s leading tugboat manufacturer will deliver the vessels within 12 months.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi and Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mustafa Yurdakul at the Maritime Ministry’s office in Islamabad.
This will be a significant step forward in the brotherly relations between both the countries, the statement said.
Zaidi also invited Sanmar to build a shipyard in Pakistan, share their expertise, transfer their technology and benefit from the local skilled workforce and low wages in Pakistan.
An official from Sanmar said they will take up the invitation seriously and praised the due diligence done by the PQA’s management and promised to deliver the vessels ahead of schedule while ensuring their quality.
