KARACHI: Minister for Ports and Shipping Kamran Michael said on Wednesday that work is going on at fast track to increase coal handling capacity of all the ports to meet the expected surge in its demand from upcoming power plants across the country.

Talking to Dawn at Port House, the minister said that in order to develop supply chain starting from ports up to the entry gates of power plants, all the relevant departments and ministries have been taken in the loop including Pakistan Railways, Communication and engineering departments to ensure uninterrupted supply of coal.

The Karachi Port, he said, has been asked to increase its coal handling capacity which is presently catering to a small demand of coal arising from cement plants. However, when power plants run on coal come into generation a mammoth quantity of coal would be needed which will be mostly met from imports.

Mr Michael said that on an average each power plant needs around 17,000 tonnes of coal per day, which means that a vessel with a capacity of 55,000 to 60,000 tonnes would be required to meet the daily demand of only three power plants.

Similarly, he said that in order to have cheap cost of haulage of coal the capacity of railways will also have to be developed.

He said the ministry has initially asked the KPT to dedicate five berths (10 to 14) which are having deeper draft of up to 13 metres for handling ships loaded with coal. He said a conveyer belt of 200 metres is being built to ensure rapid unloading and loading of coal.

Presently, the coal is being handled manually and loaded on dumper trucks.

Pakistan Railways is being asked to lay down tracks where necessary so that coal movement up to the gates of these power plants was made possible, he added.

The minister said he chaired on Wednesday a meeting of the heads of KPT, Port Qasim, Director General Ports and Shipping and secretary Ministry of Ports, and a roadmap was chalked out to develop a supply chain for coal starting from ports up to power plants.

Though a bulk cargo terminal is already being built by a private company at Port Qasim to handle dirty cargo like coal, clinker and cement, the government, looking at future demand for coal, has planned to have another such terminal at PQA.

Similarly, he said another coal handling facility will be developed at Pakistan Deep Water Container Port (PDWCP) where six berths could be developed with deeper draft of 18 metres.