Karachi Port begins spadework for new box port

Karachi: The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has started preliminary site survey of Pakistan Deep Water Container Port (PDWCP) with all weather draft of 16 meters in first phase to be developed through the public private partnership at a cost of over 1 billion dollar.

In this regard, Lam Geotechnics Limited of Hong Kong has deployed a jack-up platform for geo-technical survey, for design and construction of the PDWCP at Keamari Groyne, East Wharf of Karachi Port. The survey would be end by mid-February (Three Months) at a cost of Rs 165 millions. The proposed terminal would handle post-Panamax containerships.

The PDWCP was planned keeping in view the increasing development of 18-metres all weather draft container terminals in the region, which has compelled the Karachi Port to initiate a project of same magnitude that could grab potential invest in the maritime sector of the country.

In the past, the KPT has also been planning from a long time that it could provide a modern trans-shipment facilities and access to larger vessels which would help in increasing throughput as well as utilising optimum infrastructure of the port.

A jack up drilling floating platform from Hong Kong has already arrived and started work at the site from December 12, and so far drilled nine holes and taken soil samples about 15 meter depth from sea bed.

The KPT has already appointed a consortium of two UK based firms-Royal Haskoning and Scott Wilson and a Pakistani consulting engineers - Techno-Consultant International, to supervise ground/site investigation, prepare detailed design and the supervise construction work.

Dr Alexander Y Chmoulian of Royal Haskoning said that after site visit that about 51 bore holes would be drilled for soil investigation by mid-February. The designing phase will take more than 3 months and capital to take dredging 18 months, he disclosed.

KPT has a target to start port operation by June 2009, after operational works of its first berth through private port operator. The project is expected to be completed by December 2011. The KPT has already pre-qualified four companies as port operator Hutchison Port Holding (Hong Kong), Dubai Port World (Dubai), PSA International (Singapore) and Maersk-APM (Denmark).

It is estimated that first phase would cost more than 543 million dollar, of which 243 million would be spend by KPT while remaining 300 million dollar by the private sector.

KPT has envisaged that the private sector participation to build-operate-transfer basis and 25-year renewable lease. The concession holder will be required to develop the site into a modern container terminal, which will at first consists of four berths. The 1,500 metres four-berth (350 metres each berth length) terminal quay wall is designed at 18 m water depth with a navigable approach Channel, 700m wide harbour basin, navigational aids and protection works.