Afghan transit cargo causes port congestion
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has said that congestion at the port is being caused by Afghan transit containers. "Even if port operations come to a halt, we are ready to make this sacrifice, because certain elements are playing a role in undermining the country," he said. The minister added that once this issue is permanently resolved, pressure on the port will ease.
He made these remarks while addressing the inaugural ceremony of Maritime Week held at Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Saturday.
The federal minister said that for the first time in the country's history, the Maritime Week is being celebrated. He stated that Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) currently owns 10 vessels and within the next year, 30 more ships will be added to its fleet.
He revealed that a Rs12 billion project is being launched to revive the Gadani shipbreaking industry. Artificial intelligence is also being introduced in port handling operations to enhance transparency. Chaudhry added that the government is developing a Maritime Industrial Complex where activities such as shipbuilding, ship recycling and shipping operations will take place, enabling the business community to participate and collaborate.
He remarked that running commercial enterprises is not the government's job; however, such ventures can be improved through partnerships with the private sector. "We plan to revive the Pakistan Steel Mills with the help of the ship recycling plant," he said, reiterating that the project to restore Gadani's shipbreaking yards is underway.
He emphasised that the modern shipbreaking facility will be developed in line with international standards, giving Gadani's industry a completely new outlook. Chaudhry recalled that when Bangladesh separated, Pakistan's Maritime Academy was moved there, and it has not been re-established since. "The ministry has now accepted this challenge and decided to set up a new academy," he said. "While neighboring countries are building maritime universities, we are working to restore our academy."
He announced that a fund of Rs1 billion is being provided for the KPT, Port Qasim and the Pakistan Marine Shipping Corporation (PMSC) academy.
Earlier, KPT Chairman Rear Admiral Ateequr Rehman Abid said that KPT is not only contributing to economic growth but also promoting business and trade. "A historic 54 million tons of cargo was handled this year," he said.