A long pending decision of making Karachi Port a transshipment (a gateway between two ports) resurfaced again as the pandemic has slowed down the port activities.
Pakistan needs to invest in its port infrastructure and maintain fare charges for the services it provides in order to make it an international transshipment, said the UBG group.
United Business Group (UBG) Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs, Communication and Gwadar Development Chairman Tariq Haleem said, the long-held programme about making Karachi a transshipment can be reconsider as the pandemic has already slowed down the economic cycle of the port.
Talking about the importance of the Karachi Port Haleem said that there are 14 Central Asian Republicans (CARs) which do not have ports and have an import and export of $450 million, this turns out to be a great opportunity for Pakistan if it can provide the facility of its port.
Goods of Central Asian Countries, despite being worth of $450 million, do not require much space due to the nature of the goods, it requires an average of 25 containers.
“The capacity of our current ports needs to be enhanced, and it is a doable plan that can turn around the country’s economic situation,” said Haleem.
Karachi Port has also the potential to be the cost-effective and suitable port for connecting by providing gateway and enhancing trade with Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.
