Imported energy: PIBT sees coal demand to reach 50m tons
Terminal to be premier handler, adhere to international standards.
Terminal to be premier handler, adhere to international standards. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI:
Pakistan International Bulk Terminals (PIBT) is expecting the demand for imported coal to reach 50 million tons if all the planned coal-fired power plants come online as per plan.
The country has imported between 3 and 6 million tons of coal annually in the last five years. The infrastructure to handle these imports is not in place currently and the first project in the pipeline coming on stream is PIBT. Being built at the Port Qasim at an estimated cost of $250 million, the terminal will have the capacity to handle 12 million tons of coal and 4 million tons of cement a year. The project also includes coal, clinker and cement storage facilities.
PIBT has already signed an agreement with K-Electric to handle the coal supplies for the utility’s proposed coal-fired power plant. “For investors it is obvious that PIBT will be the premier handler of the massive new demand for coal in the country and also increase their confidence that PIBT boasts the International Finance Corporation as a financier and equity holder in the project”, they said
Current coal handling, which takes place at the Karachi Port Trust facilities have created environmental problems for the residents of Kemari town. “This, however, is not expected to be the case at PIBT as it adheres to international standards with its foreign investment.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2014.
Pakistan International Bulk Terminals (PIBT) is expecting the demand for imported coal to reach 50 million tons if all the planned coal-fired power plants come online as per plan.
The country has imported between 3 and 6 million tons of coal annually in the last five years. The infrastructure to handle these imports is not in place currently and the first project in the pipeline coming on stream is PIBT. Being built at the Port Qasim at an estimated cost of $250 million, the terminal will have the capacity to handle 12 million tons of coal and 4 million tons of cement a year. The project also includes coal, clinker and cement storage facilities.
PIBT has already signed an agreement with K-Electric to handle the coal supplies for the utility’s proposed coal-fired power plant. “For investors it is obvious that PIBT will be the premier handler of the massive new demand for coal in the country and also increase their confidence that PIBT boasts the International Finance Corporation as a financier and equity holder in the project”, they said
Current coal handling, which takes place at the Karachi Port Trust facilities have created environmental problems for the residents of Kemari town. “This, however, is not expected to be the case at PIBT as it adheres to international standards with its foreign investment.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2014.