Port infrastructure upgrades underway

Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL) and Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose Limited (KGTML) Chief Executive Officer Khurram Aziz Khan has said that major infrastructure upgrades at the port have entered the execution phase, aimed at enhancing efficiency, lowering logistics costs and strengthening Pakistan's trade competitiveness. He expressed these views during the visit of Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, who was accompanied by Karachi Port Trust Chairman Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed. During a briefing, Khurram Aziz revealed that dredging work from berths 6 to 17 had been completed, reaching a depth of 15.5 metres across the berthing basin. This will enable the port to accommodate larger vessels and significantly improve cargo handling capacity. He added that work on the turning basin was in progress, which would allow vessels of up to 350 metres in length to be handled compared to the earlier limit of 300 metres. This enhancement will enable the port to handle bulk cargo vessels of up to 120,000 tons, doubling the existing capacity and reducing freight costs.