Pakistan announces 50% reduction in port fees

Pakistan’s local media reported that on September 7, Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain (Chaudhry Fawad Hussain) announced that the country’s port charges would be reduced by 50%, so that in the face of the global shortage of merchant ships and containers, Promote the export of goods by exporters.

"Pakistan needs a new strategy to rationalize and guide port charges." Chowdhury Favard Hussein said.
According to shipping agents, the current port charges per ship range from US$50,000 to US$100,000, depending on the size of the ship and the number of days it takes to unload or load cargo at the port.

It is understood that the main port fees include port fees, pilotage entry fees, pilotage exit fees, ship berthing and storage fees, etc.
The reduction of port fees will bring fierce competition to nearby Colombo in Sri Lanka, Salalah in Oman and Jebel Ali ports in Dubai.
Just a few days ago, the Pakistani Transport and Logistics Cabinet Committee decided that the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) would reduce port fees by 50%.
The Pakistani Transport and Logistics Cabinet Committee requested the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to study the possibility of reducing port fees at a meeting chaired by Maritime Minister Ali Zaidi, and learn from the practice of the Qasim Port Authority (PQA). Coal importers are very happy for the port to reduce service fees.

Last month, the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association complained about port congestion in a letter to the Federal Maritime Minister Syed All Haider Zaidi. As for the berthing situation of coal ships in the port, it is learned that the only dedicated dock with only one berth for loading and unloading imported coal is not enough to meet the current demand for industrial coal. Due to the limited capacity of the terminal, severe port congestion caused a delay of up to 13 days in unloading imported coal.
According to the letter, Pakistan not only relies on imported coal to produce cement, but also on several other industries, including the textile industry. In addition to high coal prices in the global market, the current low efficiency of port infrastructure and weak logistics chains not only pose a threat to the industry, but also cause inflation in the country.
After comprehensively weighing a series of impacts, Pakistan has decided to reduce port service fees, attract more ships to call, and promote the country's import and export trade.