KARACHI: Pakistan’s maritime affairs minister on Thursday urged Abu Dhabi-based AD Ports Group to rationalize cargo handling charges at Karachi Port Trust terminals, as Islamabad seeks to make port operations more competitive and business-friendly amid rising regional trade pressures.
The request was raised during a meeting between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and a senior AD Ports Group delegation in Islamabad, where both sides reviewed ongoing terminal operations and investment projects at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT), according to an official statement.
Pakistan has been pushing to improve port efficiency, reduce logistics costs and digitize cargo handling as part of broader efforts to attract maritime trade and investment, particularly as neighboring ports compete aggressively on pricing and turnaround times.
“Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has urged AD Ports Group to rationalize terminal cargo handling charges to make port operations more business-friendly and competitive,” the Pakistani maritime affairs ministry said in a statement.
During the meeting, the minister also stressed the need to fast-track the procurement of mechanization and digitization equipment, including cranes and loaders, to improve operational efficiency and cargo handling capacity at the Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL) and Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose Limited (KGTML).
