KARACHI: A high-level Chinese expert group during their visit to Karachi Port on Monday expressed keen interest in future projects, especially in the construction of elevated expressway to provide connectivity to Pakistan Deep Water Container Port (PDWCP).

Headed by Hu Dongsheng, Deputy Director-General of China Development Bank, the 21-member delegation, comprised members from the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs, transport, agriculture, industry, information technology, planning and research.

Karachi Port Trust (KPT) chairman Vice Admiral (retd) Shafqat Jawed and Ports and Shipping Director-General Abdul Malik Ghauri informed the delegates about KPT’s role and contribution in country’s trade and commerce.

The KPT chairman dilated that the Karachi Port would be capable of handling bigger post-Panamax mother ships by the end of this year when the first phase of deep-water container port is expected to be completed.

He said that the new port would open up avenues for trade and commerce of the country and pave way for the port to become transshipment hub of the region.

The chairman said that the decision to develop deep-water container port was timely as the Karachi Port was strategically located and would meet the needs of growing Asian economies.

Responding to some of the question raised by the visiting Chinese delegation members, the KPT chairman said the elevated expressway project besides giving connectivity to PDWCP would also address the traffic forecasts and congestion at the port.

Published in Dawn March 10th , 2015

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