KARACHI, June 29: The Port Qasim will set up its own marine repair workshop and dry-dock facilities at an estimated cost of $10 million. This will be the second facility of its kind in the country after the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Workshop (KS&EW).

Beside this mega project, the PQA, which is presently undergoing major changes and development programmes, will also take up the construction of cement and clinker terminal at an estimated cost of $30 million.

The dry-dock facilities will be set up on ‘built operate and transfer’ basis that will enable the repair work of not only PQA’s own operational crafts but also of foreign vessels calling at country’s ports –- the Karachi Port, PAQ and the upcoming Gwadar Port.

So far there is only one shipyard -– KS&EW -– in the country where dry-docking facilities and repair of ships are available. But this facility is often remained occupied and took a lot of time for repair of crafts.

As a result even foreign vessels with minor faults go to nearby countries for repair and maintenance work which deprived the country of a sizeable foreign exchange earning. However, the PQA’s workshop and dry-dock facilities, which is expected to be completed within 15 months, will provide an alternative facility for dry-dock and repair of vessels in the country.

Another mega project being undertaken by the PQA is a dedicated terminal for export of cement and clinker at an estimated cost of $30 million. The project will have the capacity of handling four million tons of cement per annum. It will also be constructed on BOT basis and is expected to be completed in two years time.

In order to develop periphery and approach area of the port, the main access road to the PQA will be fully made dual-carriage road. At present only three kilometres of the total length of 11 km is dual-carriage. However, keeping in view the increased traffic flow to and from the port, the remaining eight kilometres will also be made dual-carriage road with an estimated cost of Rs700 million.

The work would include construction of railway overpass, clover at the National Highway junction and road lighting. The entire work is expected to be completed in a period of two to three years. Expressions of interest for all these projects are being invited from prospective investors and construction companies.