KARACHI, Feb 1: The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) has enhanced the permissible draught by 0.5 meter to 11.5 meters, to be effective from second week of this month.

According to the PQA notices, issued to port users, the draught at FOTCO and QICT berth No 7, to be effective from February 10, 2002, have been increased from 11 meters to 11.5 meters.

This is going to have direct impact on freight charges as higher capacity vessels with deeper draught are better placed at the economies of scale.

The country, which is largely dependent on foreign shipping lines for the haulage of its external trade of around $20 billion, has to foot the huge freight bill of about $1.5 billion annually.

Though the deeper draught could not be a final or even a better solution to replace the merchant navy fleet carrying national flag, as it is popularly said, “a dollar saved is a dollar earned,” chairman, Pakistan Ship’s Agents Association, Farouq H Rahmatoola, said.