TC Nov-Dec 2021 Issue

Minister for Maritime Affairs visits London
Cruise ship at Gadani
A magnificent 14-storey cruise ship is
set to end its nearly three-decade-long
journey at Gadani shipbreaking yard, in
Balochistan. According to the owner, the
country has no space to park the cruise
ship but to scrap it. Ahmedullah Khan,
the importer of the vessel, had requested
the government to allow turning
the ship into
a hotel by
docking it off
the Karachi
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs
Syed Ali Haider Zaidi exchanged
views on maritime development &
significance of Transhipment with
World Bank ponders
relocation of Karachi Port
By Amin Ahmed
The World Bank has in a new study
explored the cost, process and impact
on a potential relocation of Karachi
Port.
The global lender in the report assessed
alternative ways of bridging the gap
between demand and improvement
of capacity and access to Karachi Port
and Port Qasim.
The report — Karachi Ports Supply
and Demand Assessment — explored
alternatives for a national port strategy:
to develop both Karachi and Qasim
ports simultaneously;
focus on one at a time; or
develop a third new port
sometime in the mid-
2030s when Port Qasim
would be at its maximum
capacity.
Comparative costs of
alternative development
discount simultaneous
development of both
Karachi and Port Qasim.
Development of either
port one at a time
could possibly provide
navigation, berth, and
Secretary General of IMO. Secretary
General appreciated Pakistan’s offer to
participate in Maritime Convention at
Karachi Port.
land access capacity at relatively high
cost. Developing Karachi Port elevated
expressway would not resolve the
channel depth issue at Port Qasim.
The assessment shows that the Karachi
Port efficiency and capacity can be
increased if elevated expressway
project would serve South Asia
Pakistan Terminals (SAPT), oil
installations, East and West Wharves
relieving traffic at Keamari and Dock
yard Road; renovate rail lines at SAPT,
and dispatch regular trains every day;
and develop Pipri rail corridor.
The second option, developing PQA
only, with an improved maritime
access via 2 channels, would involve
a cost of $550 million, but this action
15
coast
or use it for travel and
tourism, saying that it is in “workable
condition” for the next 10-15 years. But
the authorities turned down the idea
due to the size of the vessel.
alone will not resolve Karachi’s traffic
snarls, assessment shows.
The third option of simultaneous
development at both KP and PQ at
a total a cost of $850 million, would
effectively remove the main obstacles.
The fourth option was that of a third
new port. Two possible locations have
already been considered, Somiani,
85km to the north of Kara chi, and Keti
Bunder, 150km to south of Karachi.
Neither has rail access and both
require long and high maintenance
access roads that would, furthermore,
not relieve Karachi’s traffic congestion.
Thus, previous feasibility reports
concluded that no location fitted the
criteria for a deep-water port within
150kms of Karachi.
The other option is
Gwadar. But Gwadar has
failed to attract traffic
from Karachi Port or
Port Qasim over the
past 15 years since its
inauguration. Gwadar has
been leased to China for
43 years, until 2059. The
only container service,
running at Gwadar, is
by COSCO, with limited
cargo.
Courtesy ( DAWN )