Pakistan Ship's Agents Association (PSAA) is pleased to learn about activation of Gwadar Port on 21st December with arrival of the first of several urea vessels. So far the port has seen cargoes diverted by government entities with attendant subsidies, a PSAA statement said on Monday.
It said Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) needs to actively market the port as envisioned in the Concession Agreement. If there are any impediments in this regard, both sides need to sit down and discuss/resolve the same, it added. The PSAA urging the government to complete the Ratodero link road, which will connect Gwadar to the national highway, said training facilities should be established to ensure local availability of required skilled labour.
Proposing a trigger industry eg oil refinery, cement factory, shipyard, etc should be established to boost the port's cargo throughput, PSAA demanded that facilities for ancillary industries eg ship's agents, stevedores, ship repairers, survey firms, etc should be established and provided on easy terms. Gwadar airport should be completed as soon as possible, it added.-PR