KARACHI, June 6: Port Qasim handled a record cargo of 139,000 tons in a single day on Monday. Due to higher volume of imports and exports, the port also expects to handle more than 23 million tons by the close of current fiscal on June 30, 2006.

The port is playing a vital role in the economic development of the country by providing time and cost effective services to port users. It has set a new priority matrix to facilitate trade which includes reduction in cost of doing business by improving trade logistics to international standards.

The PQA has taken a number of measures for reducing port dwelling time and to accommodate larger ships to meet the economies of scale.

The industrial area of the port attracted a sizable foreign direct investment. During the financial year 2005-06, the FDI at the port reached up to $0.47 billion in the shape of various industrial-cum-commercial undertakings and infrastructure.

Measures are also being taken for capacity-building that includes the establishment of LPG terminal, liquid cargo terminal, grain and fertilizer terminal and second container terminal.