KPT deepens draught of berths to 12 metres

[Naveed Yaseen]

KARACHI: The Karachi Port Trust has deepened existing draught of berths to 12 metres to facilitate shipping companies in bringing their deeper and larger vessels. Mother vessels of five reputed shipping companies are already calling at the Karachi Port.

A press release said KPT Chairperson Nasreen Haque, in a meeting, highlighted that the Karachi Port was the principal port of the country, which provided modern facilities to port users and stakeholders.

At the Karachi Port, she said, cargo ships called round the clock.

“It is in fact the only port in Pakistan which handles a variety of cargo including dangerous cargo with adequate safeguards.”

The KPT chairperson further said no delays occurred at the port as far as berthing of vessels was concerned which was managed efficiently, adding through dredging the KPT had made available two more berths, number 22 and 23, for handling general cargo. “The port has undertaken deepening of PIDC channel for achieving a deeper draught.”

She added the KPT was continuously improving its infrastructure through efforts to upgrade its vessels tracking system.

The monitoring system, she said, had been further enhanced through the use of biometrics, two-D card readers and surveillance cameras inside the port area.

Two X-ray scanners for monitoring containerised cargo have already been installed at the port and the third one is in the process of being installed.

She affirmed that reconstruction of four berths with draught of 16 metres was progressing at a satisfactory pace and two of them would become ready by September.

The Karachi Port Trust had also undertaken the task of dredging Pasni Fish Harbour which had extensive silt, she added.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=161222