Second phase of the Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) would be completed in June this year at a cost of $17 million. After its completion, the terminal would handle about 400,000 Twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually.
PICT Chairman Captain Haleem A. Siddiqui stated this during a presentation to Commander Karachi of Pakistan Navy, Vice Admiral Sikandar Viqar Naqvi here on Thursday.
Due to increased economic activity, the terminal is handling more container volume than its capacity, he said. He said the terminal's draft is 12.5 meters but the harbour channel depth is about 11.5 meters and Karachi Port Trust is working to increase the draft to handle larger TEUs.
The phase-I of PICT project was completed ahead of schedule in March 2004 at a cost of $30 million and started commercial operations.
The terminal is doubling its container handling volume every year and at present handles about 300,000 TEUs.
The PICT has undertaken phase-II at cost of $17 million, which would be completed in June this year while phase-III expansion plan is well underway.
The phase-III would cost $24 million and involved financing through IFC ($8 million) and the Opec Fund for International Development ($3 million).
In December 2005, the PICT signed an agreement with International Finance Corporation (IFC) for phase-III expansion plan. The total cost of the three phases is $75 million with a total area from berth no. 6 to 9 would be 220,000 square meters.
Presently, the average storage volume is 5500 TEUs per day.
The PICT has already initiated the Customs Administrative Reforms (CARE). The terminal is providing online revenue automation for easy payments of customs duty and release of cargo.
The terminal will be able to handle over 500,000 TEUs annually after completion of phase-II and III with a back-up area of 21 hectares.
The PICT is the third container terminal, which operates under a 21-year lease on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis and is fully owned by a group of local companies listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE).
In 2005, the volume handled by the terminal was more than 280,000 TEUs, a 215 percent increase over 2004.
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