ISLAMABAD: Marit­ime Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said that dredging of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) main channel by KGTL began on Wednesday, which would mark a major upgrade to maritime infrastructure.

The minister, in a statement, highlighted that the work follows a formal agreement between KPT and KGTL to enhance navigational capacity and meet rising international shipping demand.

Karachi Gateway Terminal (Private) Ltd is the new joint venture between AD Ports Group and Kaheel Terminals, which will manage, operate and develop container berths 6-10 at East Wharf, Karachi Port.

“This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to modernising port facilities and bolstering Pakistan’s role in regional and global trade. Upon completion within three months, the project will enable KPT to accommodate vessels up to 350 meters in length with a gross registered tonnage (GRT) of 100,000,” the Minister stated.

“This will boost port efficiency by handling higher-capacity ships, reducing congestion, and shortening turnaround times,” Mr Chaudhry stated.

The dredging will deepen the upper and lower Harbour channels to 14 meters for safer navigation, while the 14 berths will be raised to 15.5 meters to accommodate larger ships and expand cargo-handling capabilities.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2026