New vessel inducted to PMSA fleet

Raising the total strength to three, a vessel ‘Darya-e-Dasht’ was formally inducted to the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency’s (PSMA) fleet at a ceremony held on Monday.

Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo was the chief guest at the ceremony and he congratulated the PMSA on the third vessel’s induction. Ambassador of China Sun Weidong and Chinese Consul General in Karachi Wang Yu were also present on the occasion.

Bizenjo also appreciated the efforts of the Chinese shipyard which made the induction possible in a span of just four months.  He lauded the services of the Pakistan Navy and PMSA for the security of Pakistan’s maritime borders and protecting the country’s marine economic interests.

The minister pointed out that the PMSA’s role was rendered even greater importance in view of the basic structure of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

PMSA Director General Rear Admiral Raja Jameel Akhtar said the agency and its personnel remain committed to playing a vital role for Pakistan’s maritime security. He said the induction of ‘Darya-e-Dasht’ would significantly boost the agency’s operational capacity and help manage the additional responsibilities with regards to CPEC.

The vessel has been built in China and has been christened after a river in Balochistan named Dasht.  In January this year, two Chinese corvettes, the PMSS Hingol and PMSS Basol, were added to the PMSA fleet. Speaking at the induction ceremony for the two vessels at the Jinnah Naval Base, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had lauded the fact that the vessels were delivered ahead of schedule without any compromises on quality.

The PMSS Hingol and PMSS Basol, also named after rivers of Balochistan, are 68.5-metre vessels equipped with MTU16V4000M73L engines and a maximum speed of 27 knots. They are armed with semi-automatic machineguns, navigational radars and rigid-hulled inflatable boats.