KARACHI: Karachi port handled 5.28 per cent more cargo during the first six months (July-Dec) of FY2017-18, at 27.198 million tonnes, compared to 25.83m tonnes handled in the same period of last fiscal.
Similarly, container handling also gained momentum, at 1.107m TEUs (twenty feet equivalent unit), as against 0.976m TEUs handled in the corresponding period last year.
However, it is remarkable that the Karachi Port, during the period under review, handled more export cargo at 5.52m tonnes which showed a growth of around 14.86pc over the same period last year when 4.81m tonnes were handled.
Against this, import cargo recorded a nominal growth of 3.09pc at 21.67m tones, which shows a growth of 3.09pc against last year when 21.02m tonnes of import cargo was handled.
It is interesting that the port has also handled more ships during July-December of the current fiscal year, with a total of 1,066 vessels called at the port, as against 957 ships handled in the same period last year.
According to other details, the port handled 484 containers ships, 125 bulk cargo vessels, 172 general cargo ships and 285 oil tankers during the first six months of the current fiscal.
Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2018
