Pakistan Navy to shift submarines from Karachi to Ormara

[Gryphon]

Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore - IHS Jane's Navy International
23 April 2014

The Pakistan Navy is in the process of shifting primary operations and naval assets, including its entire fleet of diesel-electric submarines (SSKs), from Karachi to the Jinnah Naval Base in Ormara.

According to statements made by a top navy official on 22 April, the shift came about due to increasing amount of commercial marine traffic into Karachi and the extent of marine pollution surrounding the city.

"The coast has become saturated with too much commercial activity and restricts the movement of navy ships and machinery", said Pakistan Navy's Commander for Coastal Areas, Real Admiral Syed Arifullah Hussaini. "Also, the water is so polluted that it makes our ships and other machinery expire at least ten to 15 years prematurely.

(119 of 164 words)

Pakistan Navy to shift submarines from Karachi to Ormara - IHS Jane's 360

 

[Black Eagle 90]

PN should ask GoP to make Ormara a complete Strategic Naval base with at least two mega class ship yards there in the East and West Zones. Also keep the central space for loading and offloading any thing. So this base can also be utilize for exporting and importing military related hardware to other countries.

Same should be followed in Jiwani, Gwadar and Karachi but it with Central space only for Port and Shipping....

 

[Donatello]

Either that or they are preparing to create space for the (rumored) new Chinese Subs....

 

[Indus Falcon]

Either that or they are preparing to create space for the (rumored) new Chinese Subs....

New sub, what new sub?

 

[Luftwaffe]

Either that or they are preparing to create space for the (rumored) new Chinese Subs....

I don't think first of Chinese submarines are coming any time sooner not for the next couple of years.

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

Water pollution is indeed terrible for ships and boats at karachi harbor----it will also give strategic depth to the navy.

 

[Black Eagle 90]

Although Off Topic but I think PN had a good chance in the past when they were buying the 2 Agosta-70s from France. They can make up a deal with them for doing local assembly of these submarines about 6-8 of them and also developing a scale down version of it with just 700-800 tons for coastal operations and 110-210 version for SSG-Subs.
Agosta-70

 

[satishkumarcsc]

C'mon the Karachi port is very crowded and must have a great difficulty managing traffic just like IN is facing in Mumbai and hence shifting to Karwar. Perhaps that might be the main reason or to avoid prying eyes of commercial shipping.

 

[Indus Falcon]

Hi,

Water pollution is indeed terrible for ships and boats at karachi harbor----it will also give strategic depth to the navy.

Preventive / Proper maintenance takes care of this. The story is something else!

 

[MastanKhan]

Preventive / Proper maintenance takes care of this. The story is something else!

No,

It does not----the water at karachi port is extremely corrosive now due to all the chemicals being dumped. It says in the report as well---and it was known many a years ago.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

No,

It does not----the water at karachi port is extremely corrosive now due to all the chemicals being dumped. It says in the report as well---and it was known many a years ago.

All of that is true, MK. There is even more. Karachi and Port Qasim share one common entrance. This can be easily bottled up. Plus the branch that leads upto Karachi Naval Dockyard is awfully congested with all kinds of traffic and the moorings and all that. Then the channel off the POL Jetty is very narrow. Even one Tanker grounding there will hold up the Fleet. That has already happened once in the past; when a Greek Tanker ran aground there nearly a decade ago.

 

[Donatello]

C'mon the Karachi port is very crowded and must have a great difficulty managing traffic just like IN is facing in Mumbai and hence shifting to Karwar. Perhaps that might be the main reason or to avoid prying eyes of commercial shipping.

Thank you for your concerns. But Pakistan will make decisions what it deems best.

 

[Aamir Hussain]

Ormara Naval Base was from the beginning supposed to house submarines as well as surface combatants. The initial design had submarines pens near or partially built into the hammer head as part of the plan.

I guess lack of funds has slowed the construction of those pens. So nothing new here.