Key port information can also be found at: Maritime Database information on Pakistan Ports

Port Overview

Karachi is known as the gateway to Asia due to its geographical and strategic location. Karachi city also has the distinction of being the birthplace of the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and was the first capital of Pakistan till 1963. It is now the largest city with a bustling and ever increasing population of over 18 million.

By 1852, Karachi was an established city with a population of about 14,000 with prosperous trade in over-seas markets. However, the existing Karachi Port started taking shape in 1854, when the projects of dredging the main navigable channel and the construction of a mole or causeway joining the main harbour with the rest of the city were undertaken. The construction of the wharves started in 1882, and by 1914 the East Wharves and the Napier Mole Boat Wharf had been completed. During the period between 1927 and 1944, the West Wharves of the Port, the lighterage berths and the ship-repairing berths were constructed. Most of these facilities were rendered obsolete by the time Pakistan came into existence in 1947. Since then, the port administration has embarked on extensive development of the port on modern lines.

Karachi Port is now handling over 11.74 million tons of liquid cargo and 25.45 million tons of dry cargo, including 1,213,744 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) which constitute about 60% of import/ export of the country.

Port website: Pakistan Port of Karachi Website

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

For information on Port of Karachi Port contact details, please see the following link:

4.3 Pakistan Port and Waterways Company Contact List

Port Performance

Berthing Specifications

OTHER INFORMATION

Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT)

Conventional Berths

The following are the details of the berths and permissible draft at West Wharf.

New deep water Container Terminal is going to built by M/S. Hutchison Group at Port of Karachi and permissible draft will be 18 Meters.

Port Handling Equipment

Container Facilities

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

Port of Karachi Website information on Rates and Fees

Pakistan Port of Karachi Fees and Rates

Pilotage Fees

Pilotage fee is mandatory for all vessels entering and leaving the harbour and for any shifting within the harbor except for the following craft which will only be charged when services of pilot are availed;

a. Pakistan Navy ships

b. Foreign Men of War.

c. Fishing Boats.

d. Country Crafts.

GRT X 0.08 - inward

GRT X 0.08 - outward

(Minimum US $ 225 per act. Pilot cancellation US $ 300 per act.

Tug Services

For fee updates, please see the following link: Karachi Port Trust Website

Five Tugs are available at the Port, two are of 40 Tons and 3 are of 25 Tons bollard pull. Tug operations inside the harbor are rendered by Karachi Port Trust on signal from the Pilot. Tug operation is not provided outside the breakwater except in very special circumstances, at the discretion of the Deputy Conservator. This is subject to weather conditions and availability of tugs. Tug operations outside the breakwater are governed under special terms and conditions.

Tug charges:

US $ 970 for each Tug (2 Tugs inward)

US $ 970 for each Tug (2 Tugs outward)

1501-5000 GRT - 1 TUG

Above 5000 GRT - 2 TUGS.

Mooring Services

Port & Harbor Dues

Port dues will be levied on all vessels for each entry in Karachi Port, except for those vessels that have left the Port but are compelled to re-enter due to weather or in consequence of having sustained damage.

As well vessels belonging to the Pakistan Navy are exempted from port dues.

Dockage, Buoyage & Anchorage

Berthing charges are levied for use of wharves, quays, or any other structure so erected for the purpose and are charged to all vessels except those exempted mentioned above.

 

Supply of Fresh Water

Charges for supplying water to ships alongside wharves including oil pier per 1, 000 liters or per cubic meter = Rs 300 by private companies.

Pakistan International Container Terminal

PICT is a modern container terminal operating at berths 6-9, East Wharf, Karachi Port Design depth of berths is 13.5 meters

Quay Wall: 600 meters

Backup Area: 21 Hectares

Commenced terminal operation in 2002. Premier Mercantile Services (Pvt.) Ltd. (“PMS”) – the Sponsor of PICT – has been handling cargo at the Karachi Port since 1964

All equipment is brand new, commissioned in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008

PICT is the only Container Terminal in Pakistan Sponsored and Owned by Pakistanis

PICT is a public listed company and is the only port infrastructure project listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange

It is the first port infrastructure project in Pakistan financed by International Finance Corporation (“IFC”) -- the private sector arm of the World Bank

It is the first private sector project in Pakistan in which the OPEC Fund for International Development has participated as financiers

Total Investment: approx. USD 150 million

Terminal Equipment

6 Ship to Ship-to-Shore (“STS”) Quayside Gantry Cranes

STS No.1 & No.2

• 41 tons under Spreader Lifting Capacity
• Outreach 46 mtrs
• Post Panamax
• 25 moves per crane / hour average output

STS No.3, No.4, No.5 & No.6

• 45 tons under spreader Lifting capacity
• Out reach 54 mtrs
• Super Post Panamax
• 30 moves per crane/hour average output
• Twin Lift Spreader

2 Mobile Harbour Cranes

• 32 meters Lifting Radius
• 35 tons under spreader Lifting capacity
• 17 moves per crane/hour average output

Yard Equipment

• 20 Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes (Dual powered – Diesel & Electric)
• 21 Reach Stackers including PMS equipment
• 01 Top Loaders
• 10 Empty Container Handlers including PMS equipment
• 10 Forklifts
• 01 RORO
• 70 Prime Movers (PICT 59, PMS 11)
• 20 Service Vehicles

REFRIGERATED CONTAINERS

• 300 Fixed Reefer Outlets
• 50 Mobile Outlets
• Each Reefer Outlet Powered by Indigenous Power Generation System

POWER GENERATION PLANT

PICT Power House caters for the entire domestic and commercial power needs of the Terminal

Present Capacity is 10 mega watts, with eight diesel generators of 1.2 MW each

Customs Guidance

For information on Pakistan Customs Guidance, please see the following link:

1.3 Pakistan Customs Information

 

Key port information can also be found at: Maritime Database information on Pakistan Ports

Port Overview

Port Qasim Authority (PQA) Website: Port of Bin Qasim Port Authority

PQA is located at a distance of 50km from Karachi City Center and 15 km from National Highway. Initial Capital Cost: Rs. 4.7 billion

Total Area: 12,000 acres

Port Activities: 1,000 acres

Industrial Zone: 11,000 acres

45 km long Navigation Channel

14 km Railway link to National Railway network through six railway tracks located immediately behind the berths.

Port Qasim has been developed on the coast line of Arabian Sea where once the sand dunes of Bin Qasim desert could be seen. The port is located at 24 degree and 46 second north and 67 degree 21 second east.

The tidal variation at the mouth as well as in the port is between 0.5 to 3.5m.

The port is not only accessible through sea but is also well connected with the hinterland, through road and railway networks

Port Qasim is by objectives, design, scope, resources, location and layout an integrated port offering following functions:

• Handling of sea-borne trade (Imports & Exports)

• Warehouse facilities.

• Provision of land and infrastructure facilities for establishment of port based industrial and commercial units. Port Qasim is Pakistan’s first industrial and multi-purpose deep-sea port. Located in Indus delta region at a distance of 50 Kilometers South East of Karachi, the port is well connected the rest of the country through modern modes of Transportation i.e. rail, road and has been playing an important role in the economic uplift activities in the country.

• Initial Capital Cost: Rs. 4.7 billion.

• Total Area: 12,000 acres.

• Port Activities: 1,000 acres.

• Industrial Zone: 11,000 acres.

• Navigation Channel: 45 km long.

• Railway: 14 km linking to the National Railway network through six railway tracks located immediately behind the berths.

Port website: Pakistan Port of Bin Qasim Website

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

For information on Pakistan Port contact details, please see the following link:

4.3 Pakistan Port and Waterways Company Contact List

Port Performance

Handling of sea-borne trade (Imports & Exports)

   

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

Vessel specifications

Pilotage Fees

For updatyed fees and rates, please see the following link: Port of Bin Qasim Website

Pilotage is compulsory for all vessels calling at the Port. Pilots board and disembark 1.5 nautical miles SW of the Fairway Lt buoy in pos: 24” 33.16’N 67” 02.91’E.

During monsoons the pilots disembark in a sheltered area and lead the vessels over the bends to the Fairway. 4 Pilot Boats available

Hiring of Motor Pilot Boat = US $ 200.00 per hour or part thereof.

Pilotage fee is inclusive of charges for use of 2 tugs, 1 pilot boat, and 1 mooring boat as may be required for one inward and one outward voyage. Pilotage shall be charged as per GRT of vessels entering the port

Tug Services

• Towage is compulsory.
• 2 ASD Tugs of 60 tonnes Bolard Pull, 3 Ocean-going Tugs of 35-40 Bollard Pull, and 2 Litherage Tugs of 1000 Bhp and 15 tons Bollard Pull are available at the port.
• Tug charges: Hiring of tug per hour = US $ 300.00 per tug/hour/ or part thereof.
• Hiring of a Buoy Tender per hour = US $ 500.00 per tug/hour/ or part thereof.

Mooring Services

• 2 Mooring Launches available at the port. As well, 1 Buoy Tender, 4 Pilot Boats, 1 VIP Launch, 3 Surveillance Boats, 2 Survey Launches, and 1 Work Boat are available.
• Hiring of mooring/surveillance/survey/service boat per hour or part thereof = US $ 100.00
• Mooring, un-mooring or other similar service: Mooring in the stream fixed or swinging
• Mooring in the stream fixed or swinging by the barge.
• Plying charges to and from Outer Anchorage for the use of channel by the barges US$ 0.04 per GRT per day or part thereof subject to a minimum of US $ 155.00 per day or part thereof.
• US $ 10.00 per day per barge.
• US $ 51.00 per barge per trip.

Port & Harbour Dues

• Port dues will be levied on all vessels for each entry in Port Mohammed Bin Qasim, except for those vessels that have left the Port but are compelled to re-enter due to weather or in consequence of having sustained damage.
• As well vessels belonging to the Pakistan Navy are exempted from port dues.
• Vessel Description (rate = 100 GRT or part thereof) Charge (indicate currency)
• All Ocean-going vessels US $ 0.30 per GRT or on each entry part thereof
• Coastal vessels or bunkering barges  US $ 0.10 per GRT or on each entry part thereof
• Country craft of 10 tons and above except fishing boatsUS $ 0.07 per GRT or on each entry part thereof.

Dockage, Buoyage & Anchorage

• These charges apply to vessels using Port Qasim’s Outer Anchorage area and approaches.
• Vessels using anchorage area at Outer Anchorage and approaches US$ 0.013 per GRT per day or part thereof.
• Vessels engaged in loading or unloading or litherage at outer anchorage and approaches US $ 0.02 per GRT per day or part thereof.

Supply of Fresh Water

Charges for General Services

Hire of Labour and Equipment

Berthing Specifications

CONTAINER HANDLING EQUIPMENT (DP World – QICT)

• Ship to Shore Cranes - 6 Nos
• Type/ Manufacturer - Rail Mounted Quay Crane Noell (Post Panamax)
• List capacity under spreader - 40 MT
• List capacity under hook - 55 MT
• Outreach - 44 M
• Back Reach - 15 M
• Spreader height above crane rail - 34 M
• Rail Span - 27 M

YARD EQUIPMENT

• Rubber Tyre Gantry Crane - 21 Nos( 1 over 5 high containers) 40 ton capacity
• Reach Stacker - 8 , with 45 ton capacity
• Empty Handler - 3 , with 7 ton capacity
• Fork Lifter - 1
• Cherry Picker - 1
• Mechanic Sweeper - 1
• 6 MEV Dual Imaging Scanner - 1
• Terminal Tractors - Owned = 16 (7 GAWR front 16 T/ Rear 72 T. Hired = 30
• Trailers - Hired = Heavy duty cargo master semi trailers - RTS

CONSERVANCY

General Services

General Cargo Handling Berths

Port Qasim is situated around 50 Kilometers far away from the city and it has 12 berths are as under:-.

Port Handling Equipment

Is the port equipment managed by the government or privately? n/a

Container Facilities

Facilities offered by Port Qasim

• 45 Km long navigational channel which can accommodate vessels up to 85,000DWT class subject to adherence of the promulgated permissible dimensions.
• A dedicated Iron Ore & Coal Berth for exclusive use of Pakistan Steel Mills for handling raw material imports and caters for 70,000 DWT class vessels subject to adherence of permissible dimensions.
• Specialized Oil Terminal offering state-of-art facilities to tankers up to 80,000 DWT subject to permissible dimensions.
• Four Multipurpose berths in a linear length of 800 meter extending port facilities upto 45,000 DWT class vessels, subject to permissible dimension and equipped with two covered transit sheds each having an area of 10,000 Sq. Ms.
• Night Navigational facilities have been introduced initially to smaller ships to be further extendable to larger size vessels.
• A dedicated two berths container terminal catering for berthing facilities to 50,000 DWT class container vessels subject to permissible dimension.
• Full range of floating craft and cargo handling equipment.
• Two Term Storage Area with storage capacity of 11,800 Sq.Ms each.
• Access road to National Highway and connection to rail network.
• Infrastructure facilities and utilities.
• 11,000 acres of land above high water mark in the Western and Eastern zones for Industrial development.

Customs Guidance

For information on Pakistan customs guidance, please see the following link:

1.3 Pakistan Customs Information

Terminal Information

Port of Bin Qasim Terminal Information

Multipurpose Terminal

The multipurpose wharf presently comprises four multi-purpose berths in a linear length of 800 meters each divided into 200 meters length. Berth no 1 has a design capacity of around 2.5 million tonnes per annum. Vessels over 25000 DWT carrying edible oil, chemicals and molasses are being handled at this berth. Berths (2 to 4), with design capacity of 5 to 6 million tonnes, are capable to accommodate vessels drawing more than 35000 DWT. All bulk, break bulk and general cargo is handled at these berths. Two transit sheds each measuring 10,000 sq. meters are also located at berths 2 and 4. Berths (2-4) has a vast back up area measuring 400 x 600 meters area. The entire range of cargo handling from opening of hatch of the ship to delivery of the consignment for imports and vice versa is carried out by Cargo Handling Companies (CHC).

FOTCO Oil Terminal

The Oil terminal is a state of the art environmental friendly marine oil terminal. It was the first terminal to be developed by the private sector on BOO basis at a cost of US $ 87 million. The terminal is operational since April 1995. It is capable of handling 9 million tonnes of furnace oil per annum with a growth potential to handle more than 27 million tonnes with three additional berths. The facility mainly comprises a jetty capable of handling upto 75000 DWT vessels, product pipelines, loading arms and a 4 km long trestle that connects the jetty with the shore. The terminal has the capability to berth tankers with 63,000 tons ship-load. Till September 30, over 29 million tonnes of furnace oil has been handled here. It also commenced handling white oil from January 2001 through a separate 30 inch diameter pipeline. Additionally, British Petroleum crude has also been handled here. 77 acres of land has been earmarked here for POL Storage Tank Farm. The terminal is designed to cater for four additional berths and four product pipelines to meet the current and future petroleum handling requirements of the country.

Grain and Bulk Handling

Fauji-Akbar Portia Terminal (FAP) (source: www.fapterminals.com)

Pakistan's first dry bulk cargo Terminal, FAP was completed at a cost of USD 135 million and was inaugurated by the Prime Minster of Pakistan Mr. Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani, on October 26, 2010. It was created by reclaiming 22 acres of water and has a 300 meter long jetty.

FAP is in the business of terminal operations of dry free flowing cargoes. These cargoes include but are not limited to:

• All Grains
• Cereals
• Rice
• Seeds (including Oil seeds)
• Pulses
• All types of Fertilizer & Fertilizer raw materials

FAP discharges cargoes through pneumatic and mechanical un loaders and the product is conveyed to either steel silos or flat warehouses for onward automated bagging. FAP loads conventional dry cargo for export.

FAP has a handling capacity of four million tons per annum with transit storage in silos or warehouses within the Terminal perimeter. The operations is automated with computerized management, maintenance, inventory and accounting control.

FAP is a Customs declared landing area for handling of import and export cargoes. After completion of regulatory and Customs formalities the gate pass issued at the FAP exit is the final document required for in-land movement of handled product.

FAP is able to offer its clients a complete Supply Chain Management solution commencing from arranging of a vessel at the load port to its discharge, storage, bagging and In-land distribution.

• Declared draft 11.5 meters
• Declared length overall (LOA) 230 meters
• Declared beam 40 meters
• Dedicated 300 meter jetty
• Pneumatic Unloader
• Mechanical Unloader
• Steel Silos
• Flat Warehouses
• Calibrated Batch Weighers
• Automated Conveying and Bagging Equipment
• Calibrated Weigh Bridges

Pneumatic unloaders that operate at 600 tph. Mechanical Unloaders operating at 1, 000 tph. These handle all grain, cereal, oilseed etc in an enclosed system which ensures no contamination or pilferage.

Main Storage Terminal

• An additional storage capacity of 40, 000 tons is also available.
• Main Silo Terminal: Up to 80, 000 tons of storage space is available in steel silos at FAP terminal which are linked to the terminal through conveyor belts.
• Two covered transit shed of 10,000 sq. m each are available at berths 2 & 4 at Marginal Wharf. Two Term Storage Areas (open) with 1,18,000 sq. meter each are also available at the Port
• Main Quay Transit Sheds - 2

Stevedoring

Large Packaged Articles Charges (indicate currency)

From 14 DWT to 40 DWT - $ 6.00 - $ 6.50 / DWT

Over 40 DWT - $ 6.00 - $ 6.50 / DWT

Mail per bag, or ships stores per package - Rs 3500

Crated animals, per cubic meter of crate - Not handled

Animals walked on/off board - Livestock carier : $ 1500 per shift

Port Security

 

Key port information can also be found at: Maritime Database website information on Port of Gwadar

Port Overview

Currently, Pakistan has two operational international deep-sea ports: Karachi Port and Port Qasim. During the coming years, their capacity expansion programs are unlikely to keep pace with the expected growth in demand, resulting in a need for a third port to fill the gap. In particular, Karachi Port has significant limitations mainly due to its location within the populous Karachi city and will not be able to keep up with the ever growing demand in the coming decades.

In the case of Port Qasim, although having substantial space for expansion, its pace of development is hampered by its up-stream location, which is more than 40 km from the open sea, resulting in long turnaround time for incoming ships. This is not an issue for cargoes that are linked to industries located near the port, but it has cost implications for cargoes that have origins and destinations elsewhere.

Against this background, it was deemed timely to construct and inaugurate a third deep-sea port for Pakistan so as to ensure that national development is not hampered by a lack of national port capacity in the future. Given the expected rapid growth in demand for port capacity, it is likewise important to continue expanding the capacity of Gwadar port over the coming decades. In 2007, the Gwadar Port was inaugurated and started functioning. It is situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea in the city of Gwadar, located in the Pakistani province of Baluchistan. The port is located roughly 620 km from Pakistan's largest city and economic hub, Karachi, and is approximately 120 km from the Iranian border. It is administratively managed by the Gwadar Port Authority, however, operationally it has been handed over to a Chinese company, China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC).
The Gwadar Port, currently has three 200 Meter long conventional berths with a turning basin of 45 m diameter and a 4.5 KM approach channel that is dragged to 12.5 meters. The port also has all necessary handling equipment including tug boats, pilot boats survey vessels, etc. 

Expansion under CPEC

Under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor plan, COPHC will expand Gwadar Port with the construction of nine new multipurpose berths on 3.2 KM of seafront to the east of the existing multipurpose berths. COPHC will also build cargo terminals in 12 km of land to the north and northwest of the site along the shoreline of the Demi Zirr bay.
In addition, the Gwadar Port dredging project will deepen approach channels to a depth of 14 meters from the current 12.5 meter depth that will enable docking of larger ships with a deadweight tonnage of up to 70,000 at Gwadar Port. It is estimated that till date, the port has handled over one million ton of cargo which mainly include construction material for other CPEC projects. COPHC plans to eventually expand the port's capacity to up to 400 million tons of cargo per year. Long terms plans for Gwadar Port require a total of 100 berths to be developed by 2045.

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

For information on Port of Gwadar contacts details, please see the following link: 4.3 Pakistan Port and Waterways Company Contact List

Port Performance 

 

The Gwadar Port has been underutilized for commercial import and export since its development due to reasons such as distance from the market places of the country, security and services availability, etc. Gwadar Porthas so far only handled government Imports of Wheat Grain (2008) and Fertilizers (2008 -2014) while currently post-handover to COPHC, it’s only handling project cargo for its own infrastructure development and expansion projects.
During 2017, the Port has received 145 TEUs (20 feet containers - Project Cargo), and no general cargo vessel. Nonetheless, with the completion of few development project by 2019, the Port is expected to start functioning at its full capacity. A weekly feeder service to Jabel Ali of COSCO, shipping line, is also expected to start, however, for the time being no other shipping line except the Chinese and Arabs have expressed their interest.

 

 

 

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

Pilotage fees: Piloting service, unlike other ports in Pakistan, are provided by the terminal handling company i.e. Gwadar International Terminal Ltd. (GITL). The charges are 100 USD one way.

 

Tug services similarly, tugging services are also provided by the terminal at the rate of 970 USD, one way.

Mooring services: Currently, mooring services are made part of tugging services, however, in the future tariff may include separate rates.

Supply of fresh water: A desalination plant has been set-up at Gwadar Port to supply 100,000 gallons/day of drinking water to ships at Gwadar Port.

Laying up of Vessels

Formulation of rates for laid-up vessel is in progress.

 

Berthing Specifications

 

General Cargo Handling Berths

 

Container Facilities

 

General Cargo Handling Berths

 

 

Oil Handling Terminal

 

None

 

Multipurpose Terminal

 

One

 

Grain / Bulk Handling

 

Since the establishment of the Port, Gwadar Port has only handled 70,000 of Wheat Grain and around 500,000 tons of fertilizer.

 

Main Silo Terminal

 

None

 

Main storage terminal

 

3,000 SqM Covered Warehouse

 

 

Customs Guidance

For more information on customs in Pakistan, please see the following link:  1.3 Pakistan Customs Information