Federal Minister for port and shipping Babur Ghauri has said that Karachi Port Trust (KPT) deep-draft containers terminal will be inaugurated in April 2009. He said this while talking to journalists after a visit to berths 10 to 14 at East wharf, which collapsed during 2007 heavy rains and are now being reconstructed. Chairperson KPT, Nasrin Haque and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.
Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, Babar Ghauri has said that his Ministry is working on reducing the Port charges so that importers, exporters and port users are benefitted.
Babar Ghauri said that after completion of this work, the port will move into the second phase during which additional berths from 15 to 17 will be constructed.
According to sources the work on deep-draft container terminal project could not be started, despite an agreement was made two-and-half years ago, due to technical difficulties.
They said that the dredging work started under the project at a cost of Rs 19.50 billion, which was Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 billion more than the initial estimate.
They further said that the total cost on the project would be $700 million, out of which $100 million would spent by the contracting firm, while rest of the mount would be arranged by KPT from its own resources.
The minister on the occasion informed that efforts are underway for modernisation of Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port and to bring them at par with the world’s best ports.
He said these berths have also been further deepened to 16 meters against the previous 12.5 meters, which will facilitate the big ships to sail in here in future.
He said that problem being faced is that the debris of last two berths, which collapsed later, is lying underneath and problems are being faced to remove them. For this purpose various contractors have been contacted so that the pace of work is expedited.
Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, Babar Ghauri has said that his Ministry is working on reducing the Port charges so that importers, exporters and port users are benefitted.
Babar Ghauri said that after completion of this work, the port will move into the second phase during which additional berths from 15 to 17 will be constructed.
According to sources the work on deep-draft container terminal project could not be started, despite an agreement was made two-and-half years ago, due to technical difficulties.
They said that the dredging work started under the project at a cost of Rs 19.50 billion, which was Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 billion more than the initial estimate.
They further said that the total cost on the project would be $700 million, out of which $100 million would spent by the contracting firm, while rest of the mount would be arranged by KPT from its own resources.
The minister on the occasion informed that efforts are underway for modernisation of Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port and to bring them at par with the world’s best ports.
He said these berths have also been further deepened to 16 meters against the previous 12.5 meters, which will facilitate the big ships to sail in here in future.
He said that problem being faced is that the debris of last two berths, which collapsed later, is lying underneath and problems are being faced to remove them. For this purpose various contractors have been contacted so that the pace of work is expedited.