Gwadar port in Balochistan ( Pakistan) to handle urea import again

Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has decided to again handle import of urea through Gwadar Port instead of Karachi ports due to a delay in ship berthing, unloading and low draft of harbour.

Sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday that now all remaining imports of urea would be made through Gwadar port to ensure timely availability of commodity in the domestic market.

In the first week of February, the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet decided this and the Ministry of Commerce then directed TCP to handle urea import through Karachi located ports aimed at minimising the transportation expenses, they said.

Following the directives of Federal government, TCP asked all the Karachi base ports for the handling of urea import including private terminals, but among those only Fauji Akbar Portia (FAP) Marine Terminal Port Qasim showed willingness to facilitate TCP for the import of urea.

However, after importing two consignments at FAP, TCP had decided to import third small and remaining huge consignments at Gwadar port for timely delivery of urea and to avoid any demurrage charges, besides unavailability large draft harbour, sources said.

MV STX Daisy, carrying 30,000 tons of urea, reached FAP Marine Terminal on February 10, took 10 days for discharging as it was sailed on February 19.

While, another ship namely Arillah-I reached Karachi on February 12 and after one-week wait at outer anchorage it was berthed on February 20 at FAP Terminal.

Arillah is carrying 33,000 tons of urea and after berthing some 3,801 tons of commodities have been unloaded from ship during the last two days.

It is being expected that unloading will be taken place for another week.

Therefore, after delay berthing and slow unloading the TCP decided to handle third small consignment at Gwadar port.

According to TCP's urea import schedule, now MV CMB Coralie carrying 48,896 tons, MV Sea Moon with 51,000 tons urea, MV PISTI with 51,378 tons, MV Mandarin Glory with 50,000 tons urea, MV Olympias 48,398 tons and MV Ocean Pearl carrying 49,515 tons of urea will be unloaded at Gwadar port.


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