KARACHI, July 30: A Hong Kong firm Nobel Energy is ready to become major importer of coal from Pakistan provided there are strong assurances of sound business partners, doing lawful business and availability of efficient infrastructure like port facilities for large ships.

Talking to APP here on Tuesday group’s director William Randall said his firm was a public listed company and would, therefore, like to work with partners who recognized international law, had genuine export licences and mining rights and encouraged trade between nations.

Mr Randall said he saw Pakistan to be one of the fastest growing markets in international coal community in next 12 months in terms of percentage growth and his firm would like to be one of the leading importers of coal within six months.

According to him, Nobel Energy was doing business of more than 12.5 million tons of coal a year and had been operating all over the world. The group has its own coal mines in Indonesia. The group was set up in 1980 in Hong Kong and is listed with Singapore Stock Exchange.

The Nobel’s director said his group was “interested in 22 cement plants in Pakistan which had potential to burn a lot of coal from Indonesia, China and South Africa and believed that maximum use of coal in proper manner would help the industry grow quickly.

The group, Mr Randall said, was looking forward to a lot of expansion here. “We see Pakistan as one of most exciting fire- brick markets and we look forward to work with them and help in cement market grow very rapidly.”

The Nobel Energy director said the group would seek assurance from the FPCCI about credibility of cement companies and plants in Pakistan and whether they were registered or not and that they abide by international laws.

Earlier, during a meeting with Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries president Riaz Tata, the visiting Hong Kong entrepreneur was assured that the FPCCI’s Shipping Council would extend him all assistance and information.

FPCCI Shipping Council chief A. Rasheed Abro said Pakistan required cheaper energy that could only be obtained from cheaper raw material and coal was the only raw material cheaper than oil and gas.—APP