Pakistan has made the decision to provide off-dock and on-dock terminal facilities for ships stranded at sea near Karachi port due to the war between the US-Israel and Iran.
Currently, Pakistan operates 23 shipping lines that deliver off-dock and on-dock terminal services.
According to sources, approximately 50,000 containers belonging to importers and exporters have been immobilised at sea as a result of the escalating tensions in the Gulf region.
The government is actively working to retrieve these containers.
Sources indicate that providing on-dock terminal services to incoming ships is relatively straightforward, as the necessary scanning and other systems are already in place.
On the contrary, offering off-dock terminals to stranded ships, which are located further from the sea terminals may present challenges for Pakistan amid the US Israel war on Iran.
Karachi Port allocates terminal to two ships
“The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has already allocated a terminal to two ships that were stranded at sea, and another ship is also on its way,” sources noted, emphasising that this situation presents an opportunity for Pakistan to generate additional revenue.
On Thursday, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry presided over a high-level meeting to evaluate the logistical challenges emerging for Pakistan’s trade, especially within the energy sector, in light of the geopolitical tensions in the region.
An 11-member committee, established under the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has been assigned the task of developing a comprehensive response strategy to protect Pakistan’s maritime trade interests, with a deadline to submit its recommendations within two days.
Karachi Port activity takes off amid US Israel war on Iran
Recently, the Karachi Port Trust processed a total of 326,179 tonnes of cargo over the last 48 hours, concluding at 0700 hours. This total included 166,782 tonnes of import cargo and 159,397 tonnes of export cargo.
The import cargo, amounting to 166,782 tonnes, consisted of 71,198 tonnes of Containerised Cargo, 6,388 tonnes of Canola, 4,144 tonnes of DAP, 17,534 tonnes of Rock Phosphate, 452 tonnes of Soya Bean Seeds, and 67,066 tonnes of Liquid Cargo.
Read more: Karachi port activity intensifies
