KARACHI, Aug 18: Ports and shipping experts feel that the potential offered by Gwadar Port are not being fully exploited and there is a need to look into all aspects surrounding this strategic port lying just outside the sensitive Straits of Hormuz.“It could be easily developed into a largest and multipurpose port of the region provided all the available natural advantages are exploited and developed to the fullest advantage of the emerging port of Gwadar,” they opined.Citing an example these experts said the East Bay area measuring 17,300 metres from Sur Bandar to forward leading light (navigational mark) could be converted into a harbour of immense size.

It would only need to have anchoring mooring buoys where ships can easily load and discharge in sheltered waters. The depth available, the experts said, was excellent in the East Bay area where little would have to be spent on dredging.

The second most important extension for more berths will be that off the coast from Sur Bandar onwards for another 44 kilometres. These measures, the experts said, could make Gwadar into a mega port that could cater to the needs of rapidly growing Asian economies.

The experts also suggest merging the Gwadar fish harbour into Gwadar deep sea port to bolster the capability and also remove bottlenecks being created due to jurisdictions of land areas of both the harbours. If the Gwadar fish harbour-cum-mini port is put under the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and dredged to 5.5 metre as its design allows, it could accommodate medium-sized ships, bunker barges can be stationed for refuelling, and extra land at the fish harbour could be utilized for bonded warehouses, etc.

However, it is being stressed upon that for achieving all these goals and targets it was necessary that such a mega project should be handed over to best qualified professionals with require expertise and know-how. But so far it had been witnessed that the fate of this project was given in the hands of those who had no required qualifications and expertise of ports and shipping industry.

Giving some examples, the experts said the outgoing chairman of the Gwadar Port Implementation Authority (GPIA) and the Gwadar Port Authority was a chartered accountant and had no expertise in ports and shipping. Similarly, they said some other key posts of technical nature in the GPA were being held by non-professionals and this had put port’s operations at stakes. “How could you ask an aviator to look after port operations?” they asked.

The experts stressed upon the need to hire the services of best available processionals in their respective fields and qualified people should be put at right place. Only then the Gwadar Port could be made the largest port in the entire region from the Gulf to Indian Ocean.

It is also stressed that the master plan of Gwadar Port prepared by the consultant, Arthur D. Little, should be approved and adopted and only then the mega project could get its rightful place on the world map of ports.

Another factor needed to be taken care of at the earliest is with regard to International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS). These experts said since July 2004, it had been made mandatory by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for ISPS certification for all ports.

Gwadar should be declared a duty-free zone for a minimum period of 10 years to attract local and foreign investment, and special economic zones should be declared and developed on priority. In order to attract major shipping lines of the world, port tariffs should be made attractive for the initial period of two years.

The experts suggested that the ministry of petroleum should make special provisions for the supply of bunker fuel at duty-free price or private investor was given special incentive or permission to supply bunkers to ships bound for the Gulf area. The rates should be competitive with those of Khor Fakkan and Fujariah.

The East Coast Expressway, they suggested, should be given priority so that transportation to and from the harbour was not hindered since the present route passes through the town and would bring chaos once the port became operational. Besides, they said both Gwadar-Ratodero and Gwadar-Khuzdar roads construction be expedited to make the route shorter from Gwadar.