KARACHI: Petroleum and cargo ship traffic at Port Qasim remained steady as another fuel-laden vessel anchored off the city’s main commercial port, officials and maritime sources said.
The tanker MT Pentozali arrived from the Saudi Arabian port of Jizan carrying 38,965 metric tons of gas oil and is scheduled to anchor at Port Qasim’s Fotco terminal, media reports said. Port authorities also reported that two coal carriers and a palm oil ship were standing by to anchor at the port’s outer anchorage.
Reports available with MM News show Port Qasim managed 10 ship movements in the past 24 hours, handling a mix of container, bulk and petroleum product vessels. At present, the port is hosting two container ships, five bulk cargo ships and three petroleum product tankers. Cargo records show a total of 168,850 metric tons processed during the period, comprising 136,936 metric tons of imports and 31,914 metric tons of exports.
In the last day, eight ships arrived at Port Qasim while two departed; three additional departures are expected soon, authorities said. Port officials added that operational arrangements are complete to ensure timely handling of incoming cargo.
Maritime experts and industry analysts said the arrival of large shipments of crude oil and petroleum products should help stabilise the fuel supply chain and support continuous refinery operations. Analysts expressed hope that the steady flow of oil tankers will prevent disruptions in refinery production and preserve the availability of petroleum products in domestic markets.
