KARACHI, May 7: The chairman, Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Vice Admiral Ahmed Hayat said on Friday that time had come that the ports should think, view and plan in the regional perspective and should also strive for integration into world trade.

Summing up the outcome from the three days international conference on ports and shipping organized by the KPT, he said, "globalization entails integration, isolation inhibits development and ultimately challenges the survival of the entity."

Therefore, Vice Admiral Ahmed Hayat said, this should be taken as a call of the moment that nations should pool resources, converge to the region and make an imprint on the global market.

This paradigm, he said, was very true for ports which played vital role in economic growth. "Living examples in the Gulf region are convincing, therefore, for us in Pakistan it was important to react to these changing dynamics and strive for our share in the rapidly changing regional scenario," he said.

A holistic approach at national level, he said, had been taken for smooth connections in water and land. Karachi port was expanding, Gwadar would be operational in coming years, Port Qasim was equipped with modern facilities.

Similarly, the KPT chief said, "our national highway network including the coastal highway is progressing with an aim to enhancing hinterland connectivity, and railways are also being revamped."

The vice admiral Ahmed Hayat pointed out that in order to reap the economies of scale larger vessels would frequent in most of the world ports, therefore, the depth of 16 meter shall be the requirement of next decade rather than an option.

Dilating upon the potentials of Pakistan as a transit route, he said plans were underway for having comprehensive connectivity with Iran through land route. Similarly, rail and road network links between Turkey, Iran, CAS and Central Asian region exist. The proposed rail lines from Pakistan to Central Asian Region through Afghanistan shall put this missing link in place, he added.

The KPT chairman said facility in connectivity makes TIR Convention a requirement of the system. It entails single customs seal and movement through approved vehicles without duplication of procedures.

He said that Pakistan had agreed to ratify ATA Carnet. By June this year, he maintained adoption of the Istanbul Convention was expected and expressed the hope that Pakistan would soon sign the TIR Carnet, as most of the Central Asian countries were already signatory to this regime.

Trade facilitation was naturally the centre of this cycle. South Asian ports' average time of more than 10 days was not compatible with East Asia's less than five days. Delays means costs and according to UNCTAD each one per cent cost reduction would yield $3.3 billion in Asia.

The recent requirements of safety and security are putting more demand on the timely clearance and loading of cargo. But with the help of modern automation and systematic processes the delay can be minimized. The Karachi Port, he said had adopted the ISPS regime in its totality and would be implemented from July this year.

The KPT chairman appreciated the input given by the participants to the conference and suggested that such focused conferences should be held regularly so that the shipping industry and ports could brace themselves for the demands of emerging markets.