KARACHI: Amid clai­ms of taking all the stakeholders on board, the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has increased the port char­­ges after a gap of 20 years with immediate effect.

Giving justification for the hike, the KPT on Wednesday said over the past two decades, the costs of operations, maintenance and modernisation have significantly incre­ased due to the prevailing inflation and the escalation of the US dollar.

These factors, coupled with the need to adapt to evolving market demands and address infrastructure challenges have neces­sit­ated a tariff adjust­­­ment, added the KPT in a press statement.

It said the wet charges were reduced in the years 2003, 2006 and 2010 compared to 1994. The wet charges in the revised SRO 2023 are still less for pilotage, port dues and berthing compared to 1994 even though the inflation has significantly increased.

“A new slab of gross registered tonnage (GRT) 45,001 to 90,000 has been introduced while capping on Port Dues and Berthing charges on vessels of over 90,000 GRT has also been included to reduce the impact on vessels with high GRT calling at Karachi Port,” it explained.

While the increase in dry charges may have a marginal impact on certain sectors, the KPT has decided to either maintain or negligibly increase the tariff structure for edible oil, food, grain, wheat, atta, seeds, fertilisers, meal, pulses, poultry feeds, etc to mitigate any significant price hikes.

KPT has decreased the tariff on transshipment through the port of Karachi to boost shipping activities.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2023