The Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT) has clarified a news item published in Business Recorder on December 7 under the caption "Container shutout at QICT causes colossal loss to exporters". A QICT statement issued here on Thursday said: "One of the vessels failed to arrive on its window and we had only 12 hours to work the vessel.
However, we managed to load all the units which were passed into our gates by 18:00 hours on the day of berthing of vessel and as per the shipping lines instructions vessel's sailing could not be further delayed.
"It would be mentioned here that QICT has always tried its best to accommodate all the exports and even took the initiative of extending the cut-off to 18:00 hours on the day of berthing of the vessel so as to accommodate as many export boxes as possible, which in all other terminals in Pakistan and around the world is 24 hours prior to vessel's arrival.
"There has been no delay due to any renovation work being undertaken in the terminal nor due to breakdown of equipment. This is a give and take situation wherein we have to work in a consolidated manner keeping in view the ultimate goal and that is the progress and prosperity of the nation as a whole.
"We are now considering to take the option of declaring our cut-off for exports as 24 hours prior to arrival of the vessel as because of our accommodating exports even at the last juncture it is not appreciated and the terminal and Port Qasim itself is maligned in the bargain.
"Further to above a revised PQA gate-in process is being devised by customs to facilitate the trade as majority of the vehicles awaiting arrival into our gates do not possess the relevant documents and are waiting for the clearing agent to arrive with the same."-PR