The shipping platform

Location: Karachi is located in SE Pakistan, approx 60nm NW of the mouth of the River Indus. General overview: It is the country's largest port with a total quay wall length of 4,903m, and has 30 dry cargo, 3 liquid cargo handling berths, and two dedicated container terminals. There is also a naval base and shipyard. The port comprises a deep natural harbour with an 11 kilometre long approach channel which provides safe navigation for vessels up to 75,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT). The main areas of port activity are two wharves; East Wharf with seventeen vessel berths and West Wharf with thirteen vessel berths. The maximum depth alongside the berths is currently 13 metres. The two wharves extend in opposite directions along the upper harbour – the East Wharf northeast from Kiamari Island and the West Wharf southwest from Saddar town. The two wharves each include a container terminal: ● Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) opened in 1996 at West Wharf berths 28-30. It has a handling capacity of 300,000 TEUs per annum and handles container ships up to 11-metre draught. The total quay length is 600 metres divided into two container berths. The terminal is equipped with three Panamax cranes and one post-Panamax crane. ● Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) in 2002 at East Wharf berths 6-9. It has a handling capacity of 350,000 TEUs per annum and handles container ships up to 11.5-metre draught. The total quay length is 600 metres divided into two container berths. The terminal is equipped with two Panamax cranes. ● KICT and PICT have a nearby competitor in the privately operated Al-Hamd International Container Terminal (AICT), which opened in 2001 at a site west of the Layari river. AICT is situated next to the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate, the new truck stand at Hawkes Bay Road and close to the RCD Highway, Super Highway and the future Layari Bypass. ● KPT has also three multipurpose oil terminals; OP-1, OP-2 and OP-3. These terminals have capability of handling crude oil, edible oil, chemicals, molasses etc. KPT has thirty dry cargo berths which handle bulk, break bulk and containers. The berths ranging from 1-17 are located at East Wharf, while the berths ranging from 18-30 are located at West Wharf. ● The shipyard carries out shipbuilding and repair for both commercial and military customers on a 29-hectare (70 acres) site at the West Wharf. The facilities include a large shipbuilding hall, three shipbuilding berths, two dry-docks and three foundries. The principal imports are crude oil, refined petroleum products, edible oils, machinery, fertilizers, and grain. The chief exports are raw cotton, cement, rice, textiles, and handcrafts. The port is subject to silting and the Port Authority should be contacted for permissible draughts. Traffic figures: Approx 1,845 vessels, 52.28 million tons & 2.29 million TEUs handled annually. Load line zone: Arabian Sea Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Sep 1 to May 31, Summer Jun 1 to Aug 31. Max size: LOA: 400 m; draft: 16.5 m - Dry cargo vessels: LOA 300m, draught 13.0m. - Breakbulk: LOA 250 m., draft 13.0 m. - Containers: LOA 400 m., draft 16.5 m. - Bulk: LOA 250 m., draft 13.0 m. - Tankers: Displacement 95,000 tonnes, LOA 259 m., draft 13.0 m. Transshipment of any IMO cargo is NOT allowed at Port or Anchorage.