A contract for construction of six Maritime Patrol Vessels for Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) was signed here on Wednesday in a simple but impressive ceremony between Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) and M/s China Ship Trading Company (M/s CSTC) of China. The ceremony was attended by Secretary Defence, Secretary Defence Production, Director General Munitions Production, Director General, PMSA, Vice President of M/s CSTC and Defence Attaché from Embassy of China.
Four of these ships will be constructed in China while remaining two will be built at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works under Transfer of Technology. Acquisition of new ships is a step towards capacity building of PMSA by the government which will boost PMSA's operational preparedness for protection of resources in country's exclusive economic zone and fishery protection besides maritime Law enforcement against drug trafficking, illegal immigration etc.