Minister orders 30-day plan to clear ports

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Thursday directed port authorities to implement a 30-day plan to shift, auction and dispose of stuck-up containers and surplus materials to reduce congestion and improve operational efficiency at port terminals.

Chairing a sub-committee meeting on relocating stuck-up containers and auctionable cargo, the minister instructed authorities to move these items from on-dock areas to designated off-dock facilities within the specified timeframe. He emphasised that port operations must remain seamless and domestic trade should not face disruption from transshipment cargo or accumulated containers.

As per a statement, the minister noted an increase in transshipment cargo volumes due to improved port performance and changing regional dynamics, and called for a defined mechanism to shift such cargo to off-dock terminals on commercial terms. Authorities were also directed to maintain updated records of off-dock facilities and transshipment cargo. "Pakistan must seize emerging regional opportunities by adopting a forward-looking framework to sustain and expand our ports' potential," said the minister.

Officials informed the meeting that stuck-up containers and surplus materials could be relocated to sites including Sky Media Terminal, Al-Hamd Terminal, Northern Bypass and other off-dock facilities. The FBR will allow shipping companies to remove and destroy abandoned containers in accordance with regulations.