KARACHI, Jan 23: The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) is to undertake massive reconstruction and deepening of draft work of all the berths which have exceeded their designed life at an estimated cost of Rs4.5 billion.

Around 13 berths will be taken up for reconstruction and deepening of draft to enable large vessels of post-Panamax generation be berthed at east and west wharves of the port.

These berths were constructed by the KPT in 1955-64 with dredge depth of 10 to 11 metres at east and west wharves and their designed life of 35 to 40 years is almost over.

The Karachi port had been handicapped with lower draft of its berths and approach channel due to which it remained a feeder port for past five decades. Once the draft was deepened to 16 metres, as being planned, it could become a regional hub port.

Experts said that it was not only necessary that the port should become a regional hub port but deepening of draft would enable large vessels to call at the port, which will help to meet the economies of scale and directly benefit the economy.

There is a rapid growth in external trade of the country which has exceeded $30 billion (imports and exports) last fiscal and is being estimated to touch $35 billion this fiscal. Above all the government is projecting exports at $30 billion by 2010, which would mean that imports could well be over $35 billion in the same period.

Looking at these developments the country’s ports will have to gear up to meet future challenges of higher volume of cargo traffic and should also be cost effective which could not be without being technically and mechanically sound.

A spokesman of the KPT told Dawn that the port authorities wanted to develop the Karachi port into a regional hub, it planned to develop its infrastructure to handle large vessels in order to enhance its capacity and reduce freightage on imports.

The berths to be reconstructed are old and close to their maximum life, therefore, it was very essential to reconstruct them for which the KPT has invited leading foreign consultants in joint venture with local firms to participate in detailed designing of these berths, he maintained.

He further said that KPT’s Planning and Development Department was in the process of issuing prequalification documents for selecting appropriate firms to prepare detailed designs, tender documents, award of work and drawings for the reconstruction of berths 10 to 13 in first phase at an estimated cost of Rs1.5 billion and will be completed in three years.

After completing these berths (10 to 13 berths), he said, the second phase will commence for the reconstruction of 14 to 17 and 17A berths in 2008-09 and all these berths will be converted into deep draft berths.

Under third phase to commence after 2010, the spokesman said, reconstruction of berth no. 22, 23, 24 and 25 at west wharf will be undertaken which will improve cargo handling facility and their berth utilization.

Responding to a question, he said that this entire work of reconstruction and deepening of berths would cost around Rs4.5 billion spread over seven to eight years.

According to official figures the Karachi port handled 550,653 containers during July-December 2005, against 438,107 containers in the corresponding period last year.