Pakistan National Shipping Corporation

The Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) is a Pakistani national flag carrier headquartered in Karachi. In 2022 under the chairmanship of Rizwan Ahmed, PNSC recorded its total deadweight tonnage (DWT) at 1,045,657 metric tons which is to date the highest ever carrying capacity achieved since its inception. The corporation is principally engaged in the business of shipping, including charter of vessels, transportation of cargo and providing commercial, technical, administrative, financial and other services to its subsidiaries and third parties.

The Chairman of PNSC is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and is usually a high-ranking civil servant or naval admiral. Officers who have served as Chairman PNSC include Pakistan Administrative Service bureaucrats Rizwan Ahmed and Shakeel Ahmed Mangnejo, Admiral Tauqir Hussain Naqvi, Admiral Yastur-ul-Haq Malik, Admiral Saeed Mohammad Khan and Admiral Mansurul Haq.

PNSC, headquartered in Karachi, is under the administrative control of the Federal Ministry of Maritime Affairs. A regional office based in Lahore caters to upcountry shipping requirements. The corporation also has an extensive overseas network of agents looking after its worldwide shipping business. The Pakistan Merchant Navy is the fleet of state-owned merchant vessels flying the flag of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation.

History

The Pakistan Merchant Navy was formed after independence in 1947 when Pakistan inherited a fleet of four privately owned cargo ships. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Mercantile Marine Department and Government Shipping Office established by the Government of Pakistan were authorised to flag the ships and also ensured that the vessels were seaworthy.

In 1963, the National Shipping Ordinance was promulgated and National Shipping Corporation (NSC) was established which procured its first used ship, M.V. Rupsa in 1965. The national fleet comprised some 53 vessels which were owned by 10 private shipping companies. The national fleet grew to 71 vessels before the separation of East Pakistan and its emergence as Bangladesh in 1971 when the number declined to 57 vessels after the separation.

On 1 January 1974, President of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto nationalised Chittagong Steamship Corporation and Trans-Oceanic Steamship Company, owned by the Dinshaw family; East & West Steamship Company, owned by the Cowasjee family; Muhammadi Steamship Company Limited and Gulf Shipping Corp Ltd, owned by the Valika family; United Oriental Steamship Company, owned by the Chinioti Buksh family; Pan Islamic Shipping, owned by Saudis; Crescent Shipping, owned by the Crescent Group; and National Shipping Corporation (NSC). Nine private shipping companies with a total of 26 ships were nationalised. The national fleet strength increased to 51 vessels including 26 ships under the management of nine nationalised companies and 25 ships with the state-owned NSC.

In 1977, 14 ships were inducted in the Pakistan Shipping Corporation (PSC) during the Fifth Five-Year Plan. Two years later, NSC and PSC were merged to form the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) which still remains the sole state-owned shipping corporation.

Later other nationalised companies were also merged into a single company as the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, incorporated under the provisions of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation Ordinance of 1979 and the Companies Ordinance of 1984, respectively. The total fleet strength increased to 60 ships with the induction of 14 vessels in the late 1970s and early 1980s. PNSC enjoyed a complete monopoly till the early 1990s when the shipping sector was deregulated by the Nawaz Sharif government.

Subsidiaries Bolan Shipping (Private) Limited Chitral Shipping (Private) Limited Hyderabad Shipping (Private) Limited Khairpur Shipping (Private) Limited Malakand Shipping (Private) Limited Multan Shipping (Private) Limited Sibi Shipping (Private) Limited Karachi Shipping (Private) Limited Lahore Shipping (Private) Limited Quetta Shipping (Private) Limited Shalamar Shipping (Private) Limited

Former company titles

Muhammadi Steamship Company Limited was incorporated on 12 May 1947.Malik, Iftikhar Ahmed, "History of Pakistan Merchant Navy 1947- 2009" Karachi 2010 (privately published) pg 5 In 1949, it became the first Pakistani shipping line to be publicly listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange.Malik, Iftikhar Ahmed, History of Pakistan Merchant Navy 1947- 2009 Karachi 2010 (privately published) pg 6

Muhammadi House on McLeod Road (now I. I. Chundrigar Road) was the headquarters of the company.Malik, Iftikhar Ahmed, History of Pakistan Merchant Navy 1947- 2009 Karachi 2010 (privately published) pg 7

The company was nationalised by the Government of Pakistan under then President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. It was later merged with other Pakistani nationalised shipping companies to create the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation.

East & West Steamship Company was one of the oldest locally owned shipping line in Pakistan until it was nationalised in 1974. Its ship, was the first ship ever registered at the newly established Port of Registry at Karachi in August 1948.Malik, Iftikhar Ahmed, History of Pakistan Merchant Navy 1947- 2009 Karachi 2010 (privately published) pg 12 It was owned by the Cowasjee family. The company was restructured as the 'East and West Steamship Co. Ltd.' in 1961

The National Shipping Corporation (NSC) was established under the National Shipping Corporation Ordinance, 1963, with a view to provide efficient shipping services. The corporation was managed by a Board of nine directors, out of which five including the chairman, the managing director and the Financial Director were appointed by the Central Government and remaining four were elected by the shareholders from each Province. The authorized capital of the corporation was Rs. 250 million and the subscribed capital was to be Rs. 50 million. The share of Central Government in the capital was 25% and the balance of 75% was raised from the public in East and West Pakistan on the basis of parity.

In 1974 the Federal Government decided to take over the management and control of entire shipping in Pakistan, including NSC through promulgation of the Pakistan Maritime Shipping (Regulation and control) Ordinance, 1974 which later on became an Act. In September, 1976 the Federal Government established the Pakistan Shipping Corporation (PSC) under the Pakistan Shipping Corporation Act, 1976, to take charge of ten shipping companies and operate as a parallel corporation with the National Shipping Corporation (NSC).

Active Fleet Ship Built In service for the company Type Tonnage Fate Reference Notes MV Kaghan 1986 2006–Present Bulk Carrier 36098 GT Currently in use Built by Namura Ship Building Co., Japan MT Quetta 2003 2008–Present Aframax Oil Tanker 58118 GT Currently in use Built by Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Japan. MT Lahore 2003 2010–Present Aframax Oil Tanker 58157 GT Currently in use Built by Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Japan MT Karachi 2003 2010–Present Aframax Oil Tanker 58127 GT Currently in use Built by Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Japan MV Chitral 2003 2010–Present Handymax Bulk Carrier 26395 GT Currently in use Built by Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Japan MV Malakand 2004 2010–Present Panamax Bulk Carrier 40040 GT Currently in use Built by Sasebo Heavy Industry Co. Ltd, Sasebo, Japan MV Hyderabad 2004 2011–Present Supramax Bulk Carrier 29364 GT Currently in use Built in Oshima Shipyard, Nagasaki, Japan MV Sibi 2009 2011–Present Handysize Bulk Carrier 17018 GT Currently in use Built by Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Marugame, Japan MV Multan 2002 2012–Present Supramax Bulk Carrier 27986 GT Currently in use Built by Mitsui Engineering & Ship Building Co. Ltd. TAMANO Works, Japan MT Shalamar 2006 2015–Present Aframax Oil Tanker 55894 GT Currently in use Built by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Japan

Former Fleet +ShipBuiltIn service for the companyTypeTonnageFateReferenceNotesMV Nawabshah19811981-1985Multipurpose General Cargo13402 GTSank in Malaka straight after hitting rock PU Rondo at 11:02 (LT) on 23-08-1985Built by Gdańsk Shipyard Gdańsk, PolandMV Murree19811981-1989Multipurpose General Cargo,11940 GTSank at , near by cities Plymouth, Bournemouth, Cardiff in strong typhoon, 1989. All crew rescued by Royal Air forceBuilt by A&P Group, Sunderland, United Kingdom.MV Kaghan19811981-2004Multipurpose General Cargo10246 GTSold to Cheer Glory Traders ChinaBuilt in Bremen. Not to be confused with MV Kaghan Bulk Carrier.MT Shalamar19812003-2007Oil Tanker54474 GTScrapped in 2007Built in Sanoyas Mizushima Works & Shipyard Kurashiki, JapanMV Makran19791979-2009Multipurpose General Cargo16199 GTScrapped in 2009Built by Nakskov Skibsvaerft Nakskov, DenmarkMV Chitral19801980-2009Multipurpose General Cargo12395 GTScrapped in 2009Built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kobe, Japan. Not to be confused with MV Chitral Bulk CarrierMV Hyderabad19801980-2009Multipurpose General Cargo12395 GTSold to M/S Blue Seas MarineMitsui Tamano Engineering & Shipbuilding Tamano, Japan. Not to be confused with MV Hyderabad Bulk CarrierMV Malakand19801980-2009Multipurpose General Cargo18224 GTSold to M/S Blue Seas MarineIhi Marine United Tokyo, Japan. Not to be confused with MV Malakand Bulk CarrierMV Sibi19811986-2009Multipurpose General Cargo13402 GTSold to M/S Blue Seas MarineBuilt in Gdańsk Shipyard PolandMT Johar19852003-2009Oil Tanker49688 GTSold to Cheer Glory Traders, ChinaBuilt by Navantia Carenas Ferrol, SpainMT Lalazar19842005-2009Oil Tanker49688 GTScrapped in 2009Built by Fincantieri Monfalcone Trieste, Italy.MV Bolan19801980-2010Multipurpose General Cargo12395 GTScrapped in 2010Built by Kawasaki Kobe JapanMT Sawat19852003-2010Oil Tanker49601 GTScrapped in 2010Built by Fincantieri Monfalcone Trieste, Italy.MV Khairpur19811981-2011Multipurpose General Cargo13402 GTScrapped in 2011Built by Gdańsk Shipyard Gdańsk, PolandMV Sargodha19801980-2012Multipurpose General Cargo12395 GTScrapped in 2012Built by Oshima Shipbuilding Saikai, JapanMV Multan19801980-2012Multipurpose General Cargo12395 GTScrapped in 2012Built in Japan.MV Islamabad19831983–2013Multi-Purpose General Cargo12395 GTScrapped in 2013Fleet Islamabad pnsc.com.pk Built at Karachi Shipyard, Pakistan.

Merchant Navy Rank Insignia of Deck Officers and Engineer Officers

Pakistan National Shipping Corporation

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