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).
In response to the minister’s concerns, AD Ports Group agreed to review the existing cargo handling charges and form a negotiation committee to assess the issue, the Pakistani statement said.
The committee, comprising Karachi Port Trust Chairman Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed (Retd) and the country representative of AD Ports Group, will submit its recommendations within seven days, the statement added.
In recent years, Pakistan and the AD Ports Group have deepened their cooperation on port infrastructure and operations at the Port of Karachi, one of the country’s busiest seaports.
In June 2023, AD Ports, in a joint venture with UAE-based Kaheel Terminals, signed a 50-year concession agreement with the Karachi Port Trust to develop, operate and manage the Karachi Gateway Terminal, a container terminal on the port’s East Wharf.
In February 2024, the partnership was expanded with a 25-year concession agreement for the bulk and general cargo terminal at nearby berths 11–17, giving the group operational control of roughly 2,300 meters of quay wall and enabling significant investment to boost capacity and efficiency.
Additional memorandums of understanding signed in late 2024 explore broader cooperation on customs, logistics, rail and airport infrastructure, signaling a widening strategic engagement between the two sides.
