KARACHI, Oct 15: Importers and exporters are paying heavy demurrage due to delays in berthing of liquid bulk carriers on Oil Pier II, which is closed for dredging for 15 days from October 8, shipping sources said on Wednesday.

The OP-II of the Karachi Port primarily handles all sorts of liquid cargoes such as molasses, alcohol, edible oils and chemicals. It witnessed long queue of oil tankers during its closure for maintenance.

Shipping lines and their agents took up the matter with the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) authorities for early commissioning of the OP-II since its closure was not only causing heavy losses to trade and industry, but also to the country as the demurrage has to be paid in foreign exchange.

A spokesman of Terminals Association of Pakistan (TAP) Akhtar Sultan told Dawn that the KPT’s refusal to accommodate tanker vessels on Dry Berth-I (DB-I), where liquid products pipelines were jointly laid by the public and private sector in 1996-97 further aggravated the situation.

He complained that DB-I was meant for handling of non-POL products but the port authorities are using this berth for cement, grain and other general cargo.

However, as the OP-II is presently not functioning vessels to load alcohol are not getting berth. About 5 to 6 tanker vessels to load 17,000 tons alcohol worth around $12.1 million are waiting off the port, the TAP maintained.

It said that a tanker vessel MT Karagol that arrived at the port on October 9 was provided berth after four days causing the exporter to pay around $50,000 in demurrage.

He apprehended that the delay in berthing of tanker vessels might cause a loss of $2.1 million in demurrage charges, which would be a heavy burden on the country as well as exporters.

Mr Sultan criticized the KPT’s efficiency in handling vessels, which was also causing delays in turn-around time of vessels from the port.

However, a KPT spokesman said that the port had asked the TAP members to line-up their tankers at other oil piers to catch up with their turn for berthing but they did not avail this opportunity.

He further said that presently, about 22 vessels, including five tankers are waiting for berths. Similarly, 16 vessels are waiting for berths at Port Qasim.

The slow handling of wheat vessels by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) was causing a lot of hardship for the port, he said. The TCP agreed to unload around 10 tons of wheat per day but only three to four tons are being unloaded.

As a result of this a ship, which could discharge its cargo (wheat) in two days is now taking between eight to 10 days thereby causing congestion at the port. He further said that TCP was not using proper equipment and machinery, which could help in quick unloading.

The KPT spokesman said that around 33,000 tons of wheat was lying in the open on the berth thereby occupying large space.