KARACHI, May 13: Port and shipping experts have drawn the attention of the Competition Commission of Pakistan towards the monopolistic status of the Port of Singapore Authority International (PSAI), which has been given the 40-year concession to run the Gwadar Port.

The experts have challenged that under the Competition Commission Ordinance, 2007 no single party or company could be given monopolistic control of an entity. However, the Gwadar Port had been handed over by the government early last year to PSAI on 40-year concession.

It is stated that the PSAI had not only been given total control of marine services, and cargo handling but also the possession of the economic zone of the port.

This is in total violation of the CCP regulations and should be rectified at the earliest. It is no wonder, these experts said, why the PSAI having monopolistic control of the port is not inviting shipping lines even after passing of 16 months.

Gwadar Port sources told Dawn that at present, only two refurbished 22-year old gantry cranes had been installed and one pilot boat of much lesser power of 10-knot and tug boat with Bollard pull 24 ton are at the port.

Experts believe that the port needs a pilot boat with 16-knot speed and tug boat with Bollard pull 60 ton to handle large vessels at the deep sea port.

The PSAI has so far not unfolded its business plan or set its port operational targets and the role of the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and the ministry of ports and shipping in this regard is also questionable, the experts said.

In their opinion a major flaw in the signing of concession by allowing a single party to have a monopolistic control over all operations of the port, is the main hurdle in smooth functioning of the port.

A senior expert in port and shipping said if the PSAI could invest up to $60 million in construction of a new container terminal at Kandla, India, then why it was reluctant to spend a single penny in Gwadar Port.