Gawdar port to start operations in December

KARACHI: Gwadar deep sea port is set for start commercial operations from the next month as dredging and some remaining works will take another few weeks to complete, a minister said on Saturday.

 “The deep sea terminal will start anytime next month,” Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, minister for ports and shipping told The News. “We just need to complete dredging and some little final works which will take a couple of weeks.”  

Pakistan has developed multipurpose deep sea port with Chinese port operator China Overseas Ports Holding Company. The country has granted 40-year concession to the Chinese firm, which is currently working implementing expansion and development plan to create cargo handling capacity up to 300 million tons/year.

The minister said the opening ceremony of international trade port at Gwadar will be held on (Today) Sunday and civilian and military leaderships of China and Pakistan will attend the ceremony. “Gwadar will be the hub of regional trade and commerce, which is the main objective of China’s one belt, one road Initiative,” Bizenjo said.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to see off to the Chinese convoy comprising of more than 44 containers leaving for the Middle Eastern and African destinations.  Gwadar port officials said loading of 300 containers has been completed and these containers will depart from the port on November 13 for destination in Middle East and Africa.

Starting official trade under CPEC, truck drivers of the first Chinese convoy moving from Kashgar to Gwadar were welcomed by FWO officials at Quetta, capital of Balochistan.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $ 46 billion dollar project, is part of China’s one Belt and one Road initiative that aims to enhance regional connectivity, communication and cooperation.