KARACHI, Feb 12: Chairman Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Vice Admiral Ahmed Hayat said on Thursday that presently the port was in transformation period from the status of an authority to 'landlord authority port' aimed at ensuring maximum benefit to the economy and port users.

Speaking as a chief guest at a ceremony organized by Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) on the occasion of the arrival of new equipment, including two large size quayside container cranes and four rubber tyred gantry cranes the chairman stressed upon the need to catch up with the time lost during last several decades in development of country's ports.

The KPT chairman said that up to early 60s the Karachi port had an edge over other ports of the region but it was lost in later years. However, he said it was good omen that now realization has dawned upon the managements to modernize ports and make them efficient and cost-effective.

He said that presently the Karachi Port was embarked upon large number of capital development projects and are also striving hard to change the image of country's ports.

He said the objective of involving private sector in development and port activities was to ensure efficiency and cost effectiveness to maximum benefit of port users in particular and the economy of the country as a whole.

Therefore, of achieving this objective the KPT chairman said it was necessary to bring in a cultural change in the working environment and to ensure modernization of the port activities.

The KPT and private sector, he said, are partners in progress, therefore, "we have to ensure that as an authority we do not put impediments in smooth and efficient working of the port."

In order to ensure this, he said, it was necessary that the authority of the port should be gradually converted in 'landlord authority port' where most of the work of the port would be assumed and handled by private sector.

Vice Admiral Ahmed Hayat further said that to meet the economies of the scale the port would soon initiate dredging work to deepen the port channel draught for handling larger size vessels. Similarly, he said a cargo village would also be set up with the assistance of private sector. Among other mega projects of the Karachi Port, he said includes bulk dry cargo terminal which will also be developed and run by private sector.

However, by inducting new equipment at the PICT, he said the terminal operators has ensured its modernization as these cranes will help faster movement of cargo and sailing time of vessels will also come down which would ultimately benefit the economy.

Giving details of new equipment Capt Haleem Siddiqui, chairman PICT said that the two quayside container cranes and four rubber tyred gantry cranes purchased from China are going to replace two mobile cranes currently being used by the terminal.

He said that these equipments came under phase-I plan of the terminal which was being completed ahead of schedule. He said that most of the civil works had been completed, the power generation plant of five mega watts installed and other container handling equipment like Reach Stackers and Terminal Tractors are expected to arrive before time as well.

Capt Haleem Siddiqui said that quayside cranes and the rubber tyred gantries have arrived much before the delivery time and are going to be commissioned after successful completion of all tests.

He said that PICT has deepest depth alongside the berths available amongst all the three terminals in the country i.e. 12.2 metres which is planned to be dredged to 13.5 metres. With these new quayside cranes of an outreach of 46 meters, PICT can handle the largest vessels calling at the port. Among others, the Chinese Consul General and Director General Ports and Shipping Capt Anwar Shah were also present on the occasion.