ARTICLE: A report appearing in this paper on Friday mentioned the expected arrival of a 290-meter-long container ship with a 13-meter draft to dock at the newly constructed berth of Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT). The expected arrival in Pakistan territorial waters is around April 30 for the ship, that has a capacity to carry 4500 TEUs.

The problem for KPT is that the approach channel for the new dock is only 10.5 meters deep, and frantic efforts are being made by the port authorities to dig or dredge the channel to deepen it, reportedly, to 12 meters by the time the vessel arrives. That still leaves a clearance of a meter or more. KPT authorities hope to overcome that problem by trusting to high tide to bring the ship in. Additionally, lighterage operations outside the harbour to lighten the load may be carried out to reduce the draft.

The recent case of M/v POS Glory of 76,508 dwt, and 14 meter draft, carrying at least 72,500 M/T of wheat arriving at the newly constructed Gwadar Port and the problems faced by the Port operators (Singapore Port Authority) is still fresh in every body’s mind. This second instance of its kind within a few weeks needs a careful investigation.

There is also a pressing need to look at the matter in its wider aspects. Gwadar at the mouth of Straits of Hormuz, is destined to be a major transit trade hub. In the global village of this day and age, cargo ships and VLCCs of upto a million dwt and 19 meters draft use the sea-lanes frequently.

The Strait of Hormuz sees the passage of 40 percent of world’s oil export in such tankers, with varying drafts. There are also naval fleets stationed in and around the Arabian Gulf, which cruise the waters and may call at ports for refuelling or victualling purposes.

Additionally, heavy cargoes like steel, cement, copper etc, will figure more and more in future movement of vessels. The growth in trade volumes world-wide under the WTO regime, the opening up of Central Asian states, besides the fast growing economies of Asia - China and India - will boost the transit trade to unprecedented levels.

All of these factors leave no room for complacency, and Pakistan’s port and shipping authorities are probably aware of the situation. To give effect to remedial measures, the federal government has to provide adequate funds and guidelines towards objectives, to bring everything to fruition as quickly as possible.

Besides providing a fillip to the growth of GDP, it will generate employment and much needed improvement in the lives of people living in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

As far as Karachi Port and Port Qasim are concerned, the past history highlights the importance of full-time dredging operations to clear the deposits of silt and detritus, to keep the navigation channels open for vessels’ movement. It is hoped that all the ports are duly equipped with dredgers and lighterage paraphernalia, to avoid a repeat of the oil-spill that occurred about 3 years back M V Tasman Spirit ran aground and broke up causing huge environmental damages, whose echoes are still heard.

Depending on high tide to make up for shallow depths of navigation channels is fraught with such dangers. What happens when a huge ship, riding on a tidal wave, arrives alongside the quay, and then at ebb-tide sinks aground? (aaj)

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