ASIA

Pakistan seeking a conduit role

20 years ago

The government of Pakistan has asked Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim Authority and Pakistan National Shipping Corporation to put forward plans to make the countrys ports and shipping industry more efficient and cost-effective as soon as possible. The government has already introduced reductions in port and freight charges to boost volumes handled and maximise revenue. According to Babar Khan Ghauri, the Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, ” The Prime Minister wants our ports to be the best in the region as a means of attracting more foreign ships, especially large mother vessels which do not presently call here.”

Pakistan’s Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping has praised the recent performance of Port Qasim Authority, saying the port has proved itself to be very efficient, cost competitive and having great potential vis-a-vis competing regional ports. The committee also emphasised that established procedures were being followed and that the PQA was undertaking business in a thoroughly transparent manner. The authority will be able to call upon part of the €111m fund set up by the government to enable further expansion to take place at Pakistan’s ports.

Pakistan’s role as a conduit to and from Iran and the Central Asian republics, as well as its own growing trade volumes, is spawning expansion at its principal container ports, eager to develop their transhipment roles. The country’s container operations are centred on Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT), Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT), Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT)- all at Karachi – and now, Gwadar. Combined volumes are forecast to grow by at least 15% annually from the current 1.5m TEUs a year.

PICT chairman Captain Haleem Siddiqui believes Gwadar and the Karachi ports could become transhipment hubs for Gulf cargo destined for Dubai or Bandar Abbas. Speaking at TOC Asia, he said Gwadar, developed at a cost of US$250m, should become operational this June; this as the Gwadar Port Authority is due to award the port management to a private operator. Siddiqui said his own US$80m terminal in Karachi, which 280,000TEUs last year, is planning to expand capacity to 800,000TEUs. And expansion is also planned at HPH-managed KICT as volumes reached 450,000TEUs last year against a capacity of 500,000TEUs.