KARACHI, Aug 29: Seven ships carrying containers, general cargo, steel pipes and high speed diesel are due to arrive at the outer anchorage on Friday, according to KPT sources.

Cargo handling activity at the wharves was slow owing to rain during the last couple of days. As the dry cargo could not be handled during rain as it gets damaged, the unloading is generally postponed to clear weather.

As a result, total tonnage handled fell to a record low of 11,448 tons comprising 6,250 tons of export cargo and 5,198 tons of import tonnage. Not a single ton of liquid cargo was handled as no oil tanker arrived during the last couple of days.

Berthing activity was modest as three ships, Sinar Bontang, to unload and load containers, Sargodha to offload general cargo and Titan Venus to offload palm oil were berthed after the sailing of as many.

The three ships, which departed included Trade Selene, Mar Challenger and APL Costa Rica, while Hammurabi and Sargodha are due to sail out on Friday.

The following ships are due on Friday along with those whose arrivals were delayed: Sima Kija, Lanka Mahapola, MSC Cepmen and Winco Feeder, with containers, Al-Maqwa, with high speed diesel, BBC Holland, with steel pipes and Hyderabad, with general cargo.