Government Springs into Action to Resolve Port Qasim Gridlock
In a significant move to tackle a growing logistical crisis, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs has launched a major initiative to streamline operations at Port Qasim. This action comes in direct response to reports of severe congestion, primarily caused by the painfully slow discharge of vital sugar consignments, which was threatening to disrupt the nation's supply chains and export economy.
High-Level Meeting Addresses Operational Bottlenecks
A crucial high-level meeting was convened, chaired by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, to conduct a thorough review of the situation. The gathering brought together the top brass of Pakistan's maritime and trade sectors to assess the congestion's direct impact on export activities, with a particular focus on cement and clinker shipments. Key participants included Secretary Maritime Affairs Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Secretary Commerce Jawad Paul, Chairman Port Qasim Authority Rear Admiral (Retd.) Syed Moazzam Ilyas, and representatives from the Cement Exporters Association led by Arif Habib.
Addressing the officials, Minister Chaudhry left no room for ambiguity, underscoring the critical need to enhance operational efficiency across all ports. He emphasized the necessity of aligning port management with national logistics priorities and ensuring seamless coordination among all stakeholders. The minister stressed that improving these operations is vital to prevent port congestion, a problem that leads to costly delays, increased operational costs, and a fractured supply chain that hurts the national economy.
Concrete Directives and Agreed Measures
The meeting uncovered a critical issue: sugar was being unloaded at a rate far below the port's inherent potential. In response, the minister issued a direct order to the Port Qasim Authority (PQA), mandating them to optimize sugar unloading operations to match the facility's true discharge capacity of around 4,000 to 4,500 tons per day.
In a decisive move to enforce fairness and transparency, it was unanimously agreed that all vessels at both Port Qasim and Karachi Port would be berthed strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) was instructed to overhaul its operational planning, ensuring better coordination of vessel arrivals and maintaining constant communication with port authorities to prevent a repeat of this congestion.
Both port authorities were given a clear mandate to enforce this berthing policy rigorously and to monitor discharge performance closely, with penalties to be applied for any unnecessary delays. Furthermore, directives from the Prime Minister’s Office were reviewed, which included the strategic plan to utilize Gwadar Port for up to 60 percent of sugar imports, thereby alleviating the immense pressure on Karachi's terminals.
Minister Chaudhry directed all relevant agencies, including TCP and other state importers, to synchronize their freight movement plans with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs well before cargo arrivals. He commended the constructive engagement of all participants and concluded by emphasizing that consistent adherence to the agreed measures is essential for sustaining port efficiency and preventing future logistical disruptions that could harm Pakistan's trade and economic stability.
