Pakistan approves off-dock holding of transshipment containers

Pakistan has taken a principal decision to allow transshipment containers to be kept outside ports for the first time.

Important directives have also been issued to protect maritime trade from war risk surcharges. Speaking to Samaa TV, Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Chairman Rear Admiral (Retd) Shahid Ahmed said that the off-dock facility will have a capacity of 50,000 containers.

The KPT chairman said that the ships carrying transshipment cargo will arrive and depart twice a week from Pakistan, adding that the Pakistani High Commissioner in the United Kingdom has been asked to contact Lloyd’s of London regarding war risks.

He said that the prime minister has directed a relaxation of rules for parking off-dock containers, saying that the KPT chairman said that where there is no conflict, war risk surcharges on Pakistani containers should be removed. "Maritime trade from Pakistan to the United States, Europe, and the Far East has not been affected. The Pakistan Navy is providing security to shipping lines in the region," he said.