Brief History/Introduction of Port Qasim

Brief History/Introduction of Port Qasim
Foundation stone of Port Qasim situated at a distance of about 45 km south-east of Karachi was laid on 25 th August, 1973 by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan late Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Its inception was connected with the establishment of Pakistan Steel Mills situated in the same vicinity. Primarily, the purpose of this port was to facilitate and accelerate raw material imports of Pakistan Steel Mills. The planners also had in mind to expand the port to handle bulk imports so as to provide a sort of “load-shedding” at the Karachi Port.
This port is situated on the eastern coast of the country which has a mesh of numerous creeks interconnecting coastal area and high sea waters. One of these navigable creeks named “Phitti” was chosen to serve as approaching navigational channel to connect the open sea ( Arabian Sea ) with berthing site of Port Qasim. This channel is about 35 km long and is needed to be regularly dredged to entertain heavy tonnage ships. The Iron Ore and Coal Berth (IOCB), commonly known as “steel jetty” was the first berthing place which was completed by 1980 to receive the first ship in the last week of September, 1980 carrying iron ore for Pakistan Steel Mills. Simultaneously, four berths were also constructed on the marginal wharves. The number of berths on the marginal wharf was then increased from 4 to 7. In the early days of its operation the port was considered to be meant for handling bulk imports such as wheat, cement, fertilizers, coal, machinery/plants and raw material for Pakistan Steel besides export of rice etc. in bulk. The National Highway which is about 10 kilometers from the main port provides the mean of ready link between port and upcountry destinations.
Till 1980s the frequency of shipping activities remained low at Port Qasim. Port’s future operational plan, however, had provision for the establishment of various storage and manufacturing sites in the area. Since early 1990s, the site caught the attention of private sector and investment started in the area this resulted in establishment of some sizeable storage sheds and manufacturing / processing units. This includes three car manufacturing units and a couple of edible oil refineries plus large scale chemical and fertilizer plants are operating in full swing in the Industrial Area of the Port. It was during this period that a number of bulk oil terminals were also established inside the port area. Establishment of these industrial / storage units brought a revolutionary upward trend in the shipping activities at Port Qasim. The berthing and cargo handling facilities at Port Qasim were accordingly modernized. Today’s berthing facilities break-up at Port Qasim is as under:
Berth No. 1 is used for the discharge of edible oil and palm fatty acid etc. This berth is equipped with pumping facilities that helps direct discharge of the oils etc from ships to the bulk oil terminals.
Berth No. 2, 3 & 4 are used for the handling of bulk import and export. The bulk cargo normally handled at these berth include rice, rap seed, fertilizers, sugar, wheat, cement and coal etc. In mid 90s some ships carrying livestock from Australia also called at Port Qasim. A private company M/s. P.K. Moveshi has established a livestock farm and meat factory opposite Port Qasim across National Highway.
Berth No. 5, 6 & 7 were also used for handling of bulk imports and exports. These berths were in mid 90s leased out to a private company which has established a modern container terminal named Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT) where present day cargo handling frequency is second to none in the country. This container handling terminal is equipped with latest cargo handling machines and its computerized operations are largely welcomed and appreciated by the shipping lines, importers and exporters. About 40 ships per month call at QICT which is committed to do better every day.
EVTL Berth: This special berth has been established by world renowned ICI and is named as Engro-Vopak Terminal Limited (EVTL). This berth is unique of its kind. It has specially been designed for the handling of highly sensitive dangerous chemicals. It has some best safety and security arrangements for the ships and the cargo.
I.O.C.B. This is the pioneering berth of the Port Qasim and also unique in its structural designing. Ships carrying iron ore and coal for Pakistan Steel Mills call here. Two jumbo size cranes of this berth discharge the cargo from ship holds to an 8 kilometer long conveyor belt which transfers the raw material directly to the Pakistan Steel Mills blast furnace. There is no other shipping berth like IOCB in Pakistan.
FOTCO This berth named Fauji Oil Terminal Co. (FOTCO) is also specially designed to handle / discharge petroleum oil products. POL imports are directly discharged to nearby storage terminals from where the products are distributed country wide through a recently laid down “white oil pipeline” that connected oil terminals at Port Qasim and Multan.
Other Cargo Handling Facilities:
With the ever increasing bulk and containerized cargo handling at Port Qasim, the QICT almost doubled its container handling area yet it was still deficient to meet ever growing business activities. This provided an opportunity for the private sector investors to establish “off-dock” terminals at Port Qasim. The first and foremost of such off-dock terminals was Qasim Freight Station (QFS) which was established in the year 1999 and started working in 2000. While the QICT undertakes Full Container Load (FCL) imports and exports, the QFS deals with Loose Container Load (LCL) cargo. M/s. Pak Shaheen Container Terminal have also established their off-dock container terminal at Port Qasim area to further facilitate the trade.
Handling of scrap containers always required special handling. A private sector investor found it appropriate to establish the third off-dock terminal in the Port Qasim area. This new terminal is Namal Container Terminal (NCT) which exclusively handles the imports of iron / steel scrap.
A very positive aspect of these off-dock terminals is that beside speedy clearance of import / export consignments, the terminals also help in lowering un-employment by providing various jobs to the hundreds of needful youth.
Container Scanning Facility: In order to effectively deal with the threat of terrorism and narcotics smuggling, a container scanner facility has recently been established at Port Qasim in collaboration with National Logistic Cell (NLC) and Chinese technical assistance. This unique facility will help in easy mechanized clearance of import / export consignments.
History & Introduction of Customs facilities / staff at Port Qasim:
Jurisdiction of the Collectorate of Customs, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Karachi , as notified by the Central Board of Revenue vide Notification No. SRO-41(I)2000 dated 01-02-2000 is as under:
• All matters relating to imports and examination of import goods in Port Qasim; and
• Anti-smuggling or preventive jurisdiction in area along the coast from Port Qasim to Thatta up to the eastern tip of Pakistan – India border.
Records show that first ship called at Port Qasim’s Iron Ore & Coal Berth somewhere in the last week of September, 1980. In those days, Customs side of the Port Qasim project was being dealt with by the Preventive Collectorate of the Custom House, Karachi . With anti-smuggling jurisdiction both in water and land what today comprises Port Qasim, the anti-smuggling staff of the Preventive Collectorate was well acquainted with the area. Customs Preventive staff based at anti-smuggling check post Ibrahim Hydery had not only frequently and extensively patrolled the area but had also undertaken a number of adventurous anti-smuggling operations in and around numerous fishing villages that existed in this area. With this background and know-how of the area, the Preventive officials were amongst the first Customs staff that was posted here to board and clear the first ship that called at Iron Ore & Coal Berth in 1980. Initially, the Customs staff was not stationed at Port Qasim and they used to come all the way from Custom House, Karachi . In subsequent years, an anti-smuggling check post was established here and Preventive staff was posted on regular basis. This was a residential posting. In mid 80s the Customs check post was housed in a temporary structure covered with asbestos sheets near service berth. This consisted of three rooms; one used as office and other two as retiring rooms for officers and Sepoys. The place lacked every facility and became miserable in summer. For grocery and provisions, the Customs staff used to visit the “ Steel Town ” which then was mostly inhibited by Russians. The port authorities had also allotted a small room on the present day Berth No. 1 for the Customs “Boarding Officer”. The salient feature of this building was that it had iron sheet roof that always turned the office in a roast house during day hours. The Port remained under the administrative control of the Preventive Collectorate, Custom House, Karachi , with the Deputy Collector, Karachi Airport as its Sectional Head for matters relating to the Appraisement side. Both the imports and exports were used to be attended by the same Appraisement staff that used to visit the port in the event of arrival of a ship.
With day-to-day increase in the shipping activities at Port Qasim, the PQA allotted a properly constructed building for the establishment of a Custom House at Port Qasim in the year 1984. It was in the year 1989 that the then Collector of Customs (Preventive) Mr. Jahangir Khan issued a notification on 11-02-1989 regarding establishment of a Customs State Warehouse at Port Qasim for storage of seized goods. It was around this time that Customs anti-smuggling check post was also shifted to new offices first at the wharf adjacent to PQA Security Check Post and then to the left and right wings on the Main Gate of the PQA. Besides continuation of residential posting of Preventive Staff under the supervision of Superintendent Preventive Service, Anti-Smuggling Organization, NMB Wharf , Karachi , the Appraisement officials were also posted on regular basis to deal with the Customs clearance of import and export consignments. It was sometimes in 1995-96 that a separate Customs Collectorate was established at Port Muhammad Bin Qasim. However, as no Customs staff was exclusively recruited for Port Qasim, the Customs Preventive, Appraisement and Ministerial staff of the Custom House Karachi undertook different responsibilities. Organizational chart of the Port Qasim Collectorate is available on a separate link to this page.
The staff posted at this Collectorate is mainly undertaking Import – Appraisement duties besides anti-smuggling activities and clearance of passengers’ unaccompanied baggage by Preventive Staff. The Collectorate also maintains two anti-smuggling check posts in District Thatta at Baghan (Keti Bunder) and Sujawal / Jatti for surveillance and patrolling duties.
This Collectorate is extending various facilities to the importers for speedy clearance of goods and is embarked upon taking more initiatives in future which includes:
• The Collectorate intends to make the scanning facility available round the clock.
• A system for recording the weight of a container directly from the vessel.
Following seven commodities have been selected for “selective examination” on the basis of trade volume, risk assessment and past history:
• New Plant & Machinery.
• PMC.
• Pharmaceutical raw material imported by reputed industrial concerns.
• Fertilizers.
• Poultry Feed.
• Milk Powder.
• Empty Cans of Beverages.
• Collectorate has prepared a profile of importers on the basis of import value, items prone to mis-declaration and under-invoicing, origin of goods and the past record of the importer.
• Efforts are afoot to reduce the Dwell Time to the minimum.
Steps Taken by the Collectorate to Reduce the Dwell Time:
• Extension of facility to file the GDs pertaining to this Collectorate at Custom House Karachi.
• Opening of Cash Counter at Custom House Karachi .
• Maximum utilization of Scanning Facility.
• Abolition of opening unnecessary files.
• Voluntary extension of office hours.
• Opening of more case receipts counters at National Bank of Pakistan – QICT.
• Electronic filing of IGM.
• Profiling of Importers.
• Extension of time limit of duty collection with the help of State Bank.
• Actively engaging QICT administration for removing the bottlenecks such as inordinate delay in the grounding of the containers for examination and for their subsequent loading
Implementation of Integrated Cargo Container Control (IC³) Program in Pakistan .
What is IC³ Program?
• The Integrated Cargo Container Control program envisages pre-screening and inspecting high risk sea-going containers in foreign locations where it is not fissile to have Department of Home Land Security personnel at the sea port due to security concern.
• IC³ would enhance United States Customs and Border protection’s ability to pre-screen and examine high risk sea cargo shipments destined to the United States.
• 100% inspection of US bound Export Cargo (Direct shipments only) through IC³ equipment.

Why IC³ Program?
• Shattering trauma of 9/11 and enhanced security concerns.
• Container security initiative protocols.
• Fear of smuggling of fissile material and other contraband.
Operational requirement of IC³ Program?
• Electronic Identification of marks on a given container through OCR.
• Inspection through the Radiation Portal Monitor (RPM).
• Screening through N-II.
• Intrusive inspection, if warranted.
• Sealing of screened containers with the USCBP supplied security tape and steel bolt.
• Placement of Screened Container in secured site before loading on the ship.