PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed said on Wednesday that China would construct additional multipurpose berths in Gwadar to make the deep seaport fully operational.
Responding to a question in the Senate, he said that currently, three berths were operational at the port.
In a written reply, Minister for Ports and Shipping Kamran Michael said “during the concession period, the COPHCL shall construct additional multipurpose berths on 3.2 km (0.900m+2700m) seafront eastwards of the existing multipurpose terminal and 12 km long container terminal westwards and north-west of existing multipurpose terminal in the concession area.”
Outside the concession area, he added, an LNG terminal is being constructed at Gwadar port by Inter State Gas Systems and China Petroleum. The work is planned to start during the first quarter of 2016.
Michael said the first phase of Gwadar port was completed in 2005 with three multipurpose berths - each 200 meters long - dredged to 14.5 meter including one Roll-on-Roll-off (RORO) facility and another 100 meter service berth.
“All these berths are fully operational.” The first expansion of the existing multipurpose terminal eastwards on 990 meters was planned in the second stage of Early Harvest Phase of CPEC.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2016.
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