Active marketing of Gwadar Port suggested

[Naveed Yaseen]

KARACHI: The Port of Singapore Authority needs to actively market the port as envisioned in the concession agreement, Pakistan Ship’s Agents Association (PSAA) said in a statement issued on Monday.

The PSAA said that if there are any impediments in this regard both sides need to sit down, discuss and resolve the same. The PSAA appreciated the government for activating the Gwadar Port on December 21 with arrival of several urea vessels. The PSAA, in a press statement, said that it looks forward to enhanced opportunities for its members to work in Gwadar.

The PSAA suggested steps to ensure sustainability and viability of the port. The association said that so far the port has seen cargoes diverted by government entities with attendant subsidies.

The government should complete Gwadar airport and the Ratodero link road, which will connect Gwadar to the National Highway grid, said PSAA. Training facilities should be established to ensure local availability of required skilled labour.

A trigger industry e.g. oil refinery, cement factory, shipyard etc should be established to boost the Port’s cargo throughput. Facilities for ancillary industries e.g ship’s agents, stevedores, ship repairers, survey firms, etc to should be established and provided on easy terms, said PSAA.

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