April 21, 2006	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 22, 1427

KARACHI, April 20: Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) will start accommodating large size container vessels after increasing the draft to 13.5 metres at its berths under phase-III development programme.

A scanning machine will be installed by the year end under the CBR directives to check the revenue loss. Around 200 containers would be scanned by the machine in an hour.

This was stated by Chairman PICT Capt Haleem Siddiqui while giving a presentation to Commander Karachi Vice Admiral Sikandar Viqar Naqvi at the terminal on Thursday.

Unlike other container terminals, he said, the PICT was wholly owned by a local company and was also quoted on stock exchanges of the country. Mr Siddiqui said that since the government had reduced the clearance time for TEUs from seven to five days, the terminal’s performance would automatically increase.

He said presently the draft of the PICT berths was between 12 to 13 metres and once it was increased to 13.5 metres, the terminal would be in a position to accommodate any large size container vessel.

Under the CBR directive, he said, containers could be cleared at night which would also help the terminal to handle more TEUs next day because of the availability of space in its storage area.

The PICT chairman informed the commander Karachi that under phase-III, a fourth gantry crane with 45 tons capacity and 54 metres-reach would be inducted along with four RTGs (Rubber Tire Gantry). Similarly, he said, 50 more reefer slots will be put into operation to take the total slots to 300.

He further said that the first phase of the terminal was completed in March 2004 at a cost of $30 million, while the second phase to be completed in June 2006, would cost around $17 million and the third phase, now being undertaken, would need funding up to $24 million.

Capt Haleem said that the fourth gantry crane was expected to reach Karachi next week which would handle big container vessels of Post Panamax generation. It will have a capacity of 45 tons with 54 metres reach.

He said that presently the terminal on an average was handling around 27 ships per month with an annual container handling of 300,000 TEUs, which could go up to one million TEUs per annum. Above all, he said, with the improvement in handling equipment and the development of other infrastructure the terminal would be handling larger vessels of more length and depth up to 240 to 250 metres.

However, he said that the terminal had to ensure the shipping companies of around 45 moves per hour so that ships could have the shortest possible turnaround time. In case the PICT did not meet this condition it had to pay a fine.