January 7, 2011

Pakistan cargo terminal releases record rapeseed volume

The first fully automated dry bulk cargo terminal in Pakistan, Fauji Akbar Portia (FAP), at Port Qasim has created a record by discharging 16,500 tonnes of rapeseeds in one day.

According to a press announcement, cargo ship MV Panagiotis-D carrying about 55,000 tonnes of rapeseed docked at the 11.5 metre draft dedicated and purposed built jetty at FAP.

The cargo of oilseeds is the largest ever in one vessel to dock at any port in Pakistan. By discharging 16,500 tonnes of cargo, FAP has comfortably beaten the previous one day record of about 9,500 tonnes achieved at Karachi Port Trust (KPT).

"The Fauji Akbar Portia Marine Terminals has the ability to dock vessels up to 14 metres of draft but at present it is restricted to the limit of 11.5 metre draft by Port Qasim Authorities (PQA)."

"This feat was made possible due to the Terminal being built on a nine hectare facility which is capable of catering to Panamax size vessels up to 80,000 DWT."

The terminal can handle over four million tonnes of dry cargo and provide handling of import and export cargo complemented by bagging stations and storage facilities to traders at the port," the statement read.