March 11, 2006	Saturday	Safar 10, 1427

KARACHI, March 10: The Karachi Port has registered 44 per cent growth in cargo handling during eight months (July-Feb) of the current fiscal owing to rapid rise in country’s external trade (imports and exports).

According to official figures, handling of dry general and bulk cargo recorded a growth of 44 per cent during July-Feb this year. The port also recorded steep rise in container handling which increased by around 25 per cent over the same period last fiscal.

The upbeat in the economic activity has stimulated country’s external trade, which has already touched a record level of $25 billion during July-January. It is expected to exceed $35 billion by the close of current fiscal on June 30, 2006.

The exports during July-January, 2005-06 stood at $9.302 billion as against $7.669 billion during the corresponding period last year, showing an increase of 21.20 per cent. Similarly, imports during this period touched $15.799 billion as against $10.527 billion during the same period last year, showing an increase of 50.07 per cent.

Consequently, country’s ports are expected to remain under tremendous pressure where volume of cargo handling will touch an all time record level. This may warrant for expediting the on-going expansion and developmental projects of the ports to meet the future challenges. To meet the economies of scale the policy makers will also have to urgently look into the possibility of accommodating larger vessels of post-Panamax class.

The Karachi Port, in all, handled 14.609 million tons of dry general and bulk cargo during July-Feb, 2005-06, showing a growth of around 44 per cent. The dry general cargo increased to 9.656 million tons or 36.19 per cent and dry bulk cargo rose to 4.953 million tons or 62.07 per cent over the corresponding period last year.

Similarly, the container handling also jumped to 0.717 million teus from 0.574 million teus or 25 per cent higher over the corresponding period last year. Handling of container carrying import cargo increased to 0.371 million teus from 0.307 million teus or 20.85 per cent over the same period last year.

Boxes loaded with export cargo rose to 0.346 million teus from 0.267 million teus or 29.59 per cent over the corresponding period last year.

The figures further revealed that handling of imports of dry general and bulk cargo scrambled to 11.364 million tons from 7.339 million tons during the corresponding period last year.

The volume of export cargo handled at the Karachi Port also recorded a handsome rise to 3.245 million tons from 2.807 million tons or 15.60 per cent during the same period last year.

With the rapidly rising volume of imports and exports, the ports will also have to mechanize their entire operations if future congestions and long waiting periods for ships are to be avoided. There is also a strong demand from experts on ports and shipping that the dry charges of country’s ports particularly, of the Karachi Port, should be cut down to give benefit directly to the end consumers.