Short-, medium- and long-term plans for development of Gwadar port have been prepared by Arthur D Little for business logistics, coal power plants and construction of commercial centres serving Pakistan, western China, Iran, Afghanistan and Middle Asia, gradually making transforming it into a transshipment hub.
According to final draft of Operation Planning for Gwadar Port prepared by China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited November, 2014, in shot-term plan, seawater desalination and a power plant would be improved by the government and warehouses of 10000~20000 m2 in Free Zone (FZ) would be constructed. Service for business logistics and coal power plants ensuring the port''s adaptability and service for different cargoes were also included in short-term plan.
Due to lack of utilities, the main task is to create cargo volume by commercial logistics and explore fishery cargo through instruction of aquaculture, based on the advantage of local resource. In future plan, it is also expected to realise the cargo volume generated by harbour industry under the implementation of Gwadar city and port planning. Gwadar would get more opportunity and benefit from China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and energy co-operation between Pakistan and Iran. A logistics corridor of "Gwadar-Quetta-Kandahar" would also be constructed by the government along with developing transit trade with inland states.
In mid-term plan, Gwadar would be developed as one of the transfer and distribution areas of commercial logistics of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) serving for Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan by taking full advantage of the position and policies. It is also planned to start the processing of manufacturing industry in FZ and integration of FZ and implementation of expanding the quay facility at proper time depending on the need of local economic development.
In future under master plan of the Port, industrial parks would be developed behind the port area. Textile, leather, food and trade processing would develop as priority industries in FZ, considering the industry characteristics and labour advantages in Pakistan.
Fertiliser is the only cargo unloaded at Gwadar Port currently. The federal government would improve the existing fertiliser volume till the time Gwadar Port could realise a commercial operation. After the fishery industry in Gwadar region develops to a certain scale, it can directly bring the port freight sources. The freight potential of fishery industry for Gwadar Port is estimated to be 350 - 500 kilo tons per year.
In the long-term plan, commercial centers would serve Pakistan, western China, Iran, Afghanistan and Middle Asia gradually, exploring the possibility of becoming an important transshipment hub and distribution centers between Northeast Asia to Africa and the Gulf.
Meanwhile, the implementation of "Developing Gwadar as Green & Smart Port City should be followed with the effort of Pakistan government. Gwadar Port, which is a core facility support for the city, would develop as an integrated ecological port and essential part of costal industrial ''corridor in Pakistan''.
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