Pakistan: Qasim Port Expands Handling Capability

Global marine terminal operator DP World today announced that its facility at Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT), Pakistan’s gateway to the world, has expanded its capability to allow it to handle today’s modern, large vessels around the clock.

New buoys, beacons and lights in the approach channels and turning basins to DP World Karachi’s twin terminals at QICT enhances night navigation capability for vessels of up to 295 metres overall length (LOA), 33-metre beam and a draft of 12 metres, providing container vessels calling at QICT with safe and reliable navigation 24 hours a day.

Anil Singh, SVP & MD, DP World, Subcontinent said: “Enhancing night navigation capability at Port Qasim is a welcome development for DP World’s customers at our QICT gateway facility. Port Qasim plays an important role in connecting Pakistan’s vast hinterland to its international sea routes. Making it accessible 24 hours a day contributes directly to the local community and Pakistan’s economy in general. We congratulate the management of DP World Karachi for successfully working together on this achievement.”

Changez Niazi, Chief Executive Officer DP World Karachi, said: “We thank the Port Qasim Authority for its support for facilitating night navigation for 295m vessels and daylight navigation for 310m vessels. The Port authority is also dredging the channel to finally achieve 14m draft soon. This is good news for DP World Karachi’s vast community of port users. The new night navigation systems will enable us to handle more volume and meet our customers’ demand for cost-efficient, round-the-clock operations involving larger vessels. This will further boost our position as Pakistan’s premier container terminal.”

DP World Karachi is Pakistan’s first dedicated international container terminal operator and its terminals are ideally located to provide services for major shipping lines and importers and exporters as a gateway port and transit facility for upcountry Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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Source: dpworld, November 9, 2011