(Staff Report):-
Nine ships with a cumulative tonnage capacity of 450000 metric tons of imported Wheat are scheduled to arrive at Gwadar Port in first week of March.
In this regard operational requirements and standards for the import of wheat at Gwadar Port have been beefed up taking on board all stakeholders including TCP, PASSCO, NLC, Navy 3rd FP, Army 440, DC Gwadar, Gwadar Customs, Dock Security, GITL, GPA.
Secretary National Food Security held an important coordination meeting with port operators, Gwadar International Terminals Limited to discuss the detailed operational management of wheat import in conference room 2nd floor Control tower Gwadar port. Participants of meeting included Secretary National Food Security Zafar Hassan, Chairman COPHC Yu Bo, Chief Operating Officer GITL Hao Jian, General Manager Operations Trading Corporation of Pakistan Sheeraz Ali MD PASSCO Captm (R) Saeed Ahmed.
Chairman GITL apprised the participants that Gwadar port witnessed zero handling loss for the discharge and despatch of urea last month. Moreover, on arrival anchorage is ensure for the vessels. Two vessels can be processed simultaneously for 200 vehicles for wheat operations on daily basis.
The secretary expressed the government’s willingness to give more business to Gwadar Port since the comfort port management offers in terms of stevedoring.
All the relevant departments are seeking alternate terrestrial routes to and from Gwadar port in order to increase economic activities in Balochistan. Last month Ministry of Communication identified 4 new alternate teade routes through Balochistan, revealed a senior officer of COPHC.
Gwadar Port will handle and process 4,50,000 metric tons import of wheat as an official agreement between the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and Gwadar International Terminal Limited (GITL) was inked last year.
This deal is a leapfrog toward the optimisation of Gwadar port’s innate potential as a logistic hub in the region that will ultimately contribute US$10 billion of GDP to the economy of Pakistan.
GITL official told Gwadar Pro that TCP and GITL sealed the accord on 9th December. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet had approved the lowest bids of a Russian company for the import of 450000 metric tonnes of wheat through Gwadar ports.
Federal Finance and Revenue Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar presided over the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet.
It was decided that any additional cost on inland transportation from Gwadar Port will be borne by PASSCO to be recovered from provinces at the time of the release of wheat stock.
Wheat imports via Gwadar promise to usher in a new era of business, commerce and trade vibrancy at Gwadar port.
GPA official dubbed the readiness to import wheat using Gwadar port a new milestone saying wheat import will spur up trade activities in Gwadar. “It will also boost employability as when bustling activities get underway, skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled man force will be required to handle the entire scale of work,” he added.
