By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has inaugurated country’s first coal, clinker and cement terminal at Port Qasim in southern city of Karachi.
The terminal holds the capability of handling 12million ton coal in a bulk. The terminal has been completed in three years at a cost of $285million.
While addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbassi said the government has provided enabling environment to the business community to take forward the country on the path of development.
Shahid Khaqan Abbassi said there is high growth and low inflation scenario in the country.
The terminal has been dredged up to 13 metres and is capable of handling ships of up to 65,000 tons.
“The terminal jetty has been built to handle deeper draft vessels of 15.5 metres and PIBT will be able to handle larger vessels once Port Qasim dredges the channel beyond 13 metres,
A coal cargo ship currently takes around five days at Karachi Port while the same cargo can be handled within two days at the dedicated terminal due to the modern and mechanised handling system.
The terminal has a built-in capacity of handling up to 12 million tons of coal and 4 million tons of cement and clinker per year, which can together be further enhanced up to 20 million tons.
It has been set up for handling and delivering coal to power and cement plants by utilising the rail, road and sea networks.
Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) is financed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and has built the facility according to World Bank’s standards of environmental and health safety.
PIBT is a public listed company quoted on the Pakistan Stock Exchange and is sponsored by the Marine Group of Companies.
