Sanmar Shipyards has delivered two pilot boats to the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) in Karachi, Pakistan, which operates the expanding deep-water seaport with an annual handling capacity of 89 million tons in the country’s largest industrial zone.

The twin pilot boats, renamed PB HEER and PB SASSI by their new owners, each have a LOA of 20.50 m, moulded beam of 5.50 m, height of 2.92 m, navigational draft of 1.61 m and displacement of approximately 62 t.

Both can carry 7.106 ltrs of fuel oil in two tanks, along with approximately 400 ltrs of fresh water in two tanks. 

Sanmar pilot boats are well proven in service and offer specific features unique to those required by this type of craft and pilot boarding operations. Their design has been exclusively developed by Endaze Marine Engineering, Turkey. 

They have diesel-powered twin screw propellers, and each is equipped with all-round fendering for safe manoeuvring. The hull form has been carefully developed, based on a wide array of previous successful pilot boat designs, to ensure good sea-keeping, high speed operation, manoeuvrability, and stability in all modes of operation. Boats can reach speed of more than 20 knots and impress with their safe high manoeuvrability at high speed. The wheelhouse construction and outfitting has been designed to achieve maximum visibility and operability.