MORE SHIPS ARRIVED AND CARGO HANDLING ACTIVITY GAINED MOMENTUM AT KARACHI PORT

The period of July ‘13 to March ‘14 remained very productive performance wise for the Karachi Port. The port handled 6.51% more cargo during the first nine months of financial year 2013 – 14 in comparison to the same period last financial year. The total cargo, comprising bulk and general, handled by the port at the close of March, this financial year, was 30.676 million tonnes whereas it closed last financial year in March at 28.802 million tonnes. The dry cargo handling of the port during the first nine months of financial year 2013 – 14 also recorded gain of 5.86% to close in March at 21.165 million tonnes whereas it remained at 19.994 million tonnes in the corresponding period last financial year. The liquid bulk cargo has also shown improvements and its handling even remained better than the dry cargo handling. The liquid bulk cargo recorded a gain of 7.98% during the first nine months of financial year 2013 – 14 to close at 9.511 million tonnes in March 2014 whereas it was 8.802 million tonnes during the corresponding period last year. Breakup of dry cargo shows that KPT has handled 7.41% more dry general cargo during the first nine month of this financial year to remain at 16.111 million tonnes at the close of March whereas the port handled 14.999 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year. A gain of 1.18% was also seen in the handling of dry bulk cargo which port handled this financial year till March which remained at 5.054 million tonnes whereas it was 4.995 million tonnes last financial during the same corresponding period.

A similar upward trend is seen in the containers handling of the port. The port handled 5.95% more containers (quantified in Twenty Equivalent Units – TEU) this financial year at the close of March to remain at 1.196 million TEU whereas it remained last year during the same corresponding period at 1.129 million TEU. Breakup shows that the port has handled more containers import than containers export this financial in comparison from the previous financial year during the same nine monthly periods. The container imports handling remained at 0.609 million TEU this financial year vis-à-vis last year when the port recorded handling of 0.572 million TEU at the end of March showing a gain of 6.49%. Similarly, the containers export handling remained at 0.587 million TEU during the first nine months of financial year 2013 – 14 whereas it closed at 0.557 million TEU during the corresponding period last year and hence showing an increase by 5.41%.

The ship handling has also remained phenomenal as 1,236 vessels called at Karachi Port during the first nine months of financial year 2013 – 14 whereas during the same period last year the port handled the call of 1,185 vessels, showing a hefty improvement by 4.3%. This year port handled 620 container, 129 bulk cargo, 165 general cargo and 322 oil tanker ships during the first nine month of financial year 2013 – 14 ending in March. During the same corresponding period last year, the port handled 582 container, 155 bulk cargo, 139 general cargo and 309 oil tanker ships. Major gain is seen in the handling of general cargo ships which increased by 18.71%.

The port is all set to break all previous milestones as it propels ahead with great initiative and drive which surely reflects on the friendly policies of government towards trade and commerce as well as the port and shipping sector. Hence, KPT sees a vibrant future.