15.4 metres long ship docked at Karachi port: spokesperson

KARACHI: A 15.4-metre-long ship anchored at Karachi port which marks an initiation of handling deep draft ships, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The spokesperson said that the administration has commenced handling of deep draft ships for deep water vessels at Karachi’s Port Qasim.

“Earlier, 14.7-metre-long ships were handled by Karachi Port Trust. KPT is an important part of national economy and trade activities are based on it,” the spokesperson added.

On January 19, a history was created by Pakistan after docking of two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-carrying ships at Port Qasim – Karachi ‘in one tide’.

Port Qasim Authority (PQA) Chairman Asad Rafi Chandna had said that the authority had created history by handling to provide berths to two LNG ships. Chandna added that it was a 5-6 hours long operation and it would be done again more conveniently.

The development was also praised by the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi.

Earlier on July 14 last year, it emerged that a cargo passage worth almost $8-10 billion is under planning to be constructed along with the sea front from Karachi Port to Port Qasim for swift cargo progress, including cargoes carrying fluids and all kinds of shipments.

According to an official statement, KPT had already handled cargo of more than 54 million tons, and it is projected that in the upcoming years KPT will handle record breaking shipments due to latest operational systems of South Asia Pakistan Terminals.