Presently, Pakistan operates two primary international deep-sea ports, namely Karachi Port and Port Qasim. However, looking ahead, it is anticipated that their capacity expansion initiatives may not match the anticipated surge in demand. This creates a pressing need for a third port to bridge the impending gap.
P.c. Qazi Abdul Baseer
Karachi Port, due to its location within the rapidly expanding city of Karachi, faces significant physical constraints. It is unlikely to keep pace with national demand growth over the next decades.
As for Port Qasim, although it boasts ample physical space for expansion, its development speed is hindered by its upstream location, more than 40 km from the open sea. This results in prolonged turnaround times for visiting ships, posing a challenge for cargoes originating from and destined for locations beyond the port's vicinity. While this is manageable for industries near the port, it incurs cost disadvantages for cargoes with different origins and destinations.
Given these limitations, the construction and inauguration of a third deep-sea port in Pakistan have been deemed timely. This strategic move aims to ensure that national development remains unhindered by potential shortcomings in port capacity in the future. Considering the expected rapid growth in demand for port capacity, continuous expansion of Gwadar port is equally crucial in the forthcoming decades.