KARACHI, March 26: The Singapore Port Authority International (SPAI) plans to receive the first ever container vessel by the end of April after the commissioning of gantry cranes used for loading and unloading of containers, official sources said on Wednesday.

The installation of two gantry cranes is expected to be completed by early next month and thereafter the Gwadar Port would be in a position to receive container vessels.

The government under an agreement on March 25, 2007, handed over the operations of the port to SPAI for a long period of 40 years. Under the concession the SPAI in joint venture with AKD Investment has also to develop an industrial estate in the port area.

The China Harbour, the builder of the port, after completing first phase of the project handed over the port to the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), which is responsible for the maintenance of draft of berths and the Channel. Presently, two berths with 600-metre quay wall and a draft of 14 metre along with approach Channel of an equal depth are ready to accommodate Panamax class vessels.

The first ever Panamax class bulk carrier ‘POS Glory’ with 75,000DWT and loaded with 72,000 tons of wheat from Canada was allowed berth after lighterage up to 9,000 tons by the PNSC vessel m. v. Hyderabad.

The vessel sailed out on Tuesday, March 25, after discharging its entire wheat cargo. The wheat is now being transported to Balochistan and Sindh to meet the shortages.

Besides, receiving the project cargoes the Gwadar Port also allowed berths to two other commercial vessels during this period. However, there are still many bottlenecks, which unable the port to become fully operational.

The sources said that without the road and rail facility the port could not become fully operational and there was a greater need to develop such infrastructure on a war footing.

The National Highway Authority (NHA) has been given the task to build road network for the port connectivity to the hinterland. The NHA has to complete Rato Dero Road up to the existing national Highway and other link roads from Gwadar to Turbat and onward to link the port with Quetta.

The sources said without the completion of road network the port would not become fully operational.