It is distressing to learn from a report that, with its two new newly built pilot boats going out of action on June 15, Port Qasim is now threatened with a major crisis in handling shipping traffic.
Pilot boats 'Kalri' and 'Kenjhar' that were recently delivered by the Karachi Shipyard, had hardly completed six months in service before developing faults.
One of them is reported to have broken down earlier and subsequently sent back for repairs. As for the other, it is stated to have met with similar fate on June 15 night.
Thus, consequent to the two casualties in quick succession, the country's second major port was reportedly left on June 16 with no pilot boat to steer ships in and out of the harbour, an activity so vital to berthing and sailing of vessels touching the new port.
The port's maintenance department was expected to try to use small tugs to carry the pilots to the stranded vessels to help steer them to and from the berths.
What is more agonising about this unpleasant situation is that the port is already short of dependable tugs and is left with only two old ones subsequent to the withdrawal of a strong tug 'Sohrab' by the Karachi Port Trust a few days ago, virtually plunging the port into complete operational deadlock.
As reported the other day, thus at present Port Qasim presently is running on two old tugs, which too remain exposed to the possibility of breaking down any moment leading to suspension of all shipping activity.
Again, as four ships were due to arrive at the outer anchorage around June 18, PQA maintenance department was reportedly making frantic efforts to arrange a pilot boat from the market.
Since port authorities are required to place orders for manufacture of boats and tugs with the Karachi Shipyard, which does not appear to be in a position to deliver the goods in time and in good order, port users find themselves in a quandary.
This is why they have been reportedly urging Ministry of Communications to transfer operation of tugs and pilot boats to a dependable private party, thereby, ensuring against similar crises in future.
It will be recalled that berthing and sailing activity had come to a standstill at the port as lately as on June 7 too, due to lack of tugs in the port, and only one container vessel could be berthed in a whole day with the help of the two tugs working at the port.
The crisis was attributed to withdrawal M.T. Sohrab by the Karachi Port Trust, which had been loaned several months ago.
At least three tugs needed to steer vessels into the port during the turbulent monsoon season. All in all, such situations too frequently arising, can be attributed to scant attention paid to ensuring availability of the required number of tugs in good condition at the port.
That for want of really serviceable tugs at the port, the entire shipping activity at Port Qasim can be thrown out of gear, can be viewed as a bad omen, calling for prompt preventive measures.
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