KARACHI, Oct 17: Minister for Privatisation and Ports and Shipping Naveed Qamar on Friday admitted that the Karachi Port and Port Qasim suffered from congestion and there is no short cut solution to the problem.

However, the minister said that all the stakeholders were being asked to coordinate to bring early relief to the ports by removing congestion.

Briefing the media after holding a meeting with the authorities on handling of imported wheat, the minister said all measures will be taken for early clearance of backlog of cargo so that congestion at the ports is removed.The meeting was attended by the heads of the ports, secretary ports and shipping, secretary ministry of commerce and officials of food and TCP.

Naveed Qamar said that around 1.4 million tons of wheat had already reached the country and the remaining quantity of 1.1 million tons is in the pipeline. He said that the congestion at the ports was caused by a host of factors, which includes arrival of many ships loaded with wheat and a large number of ships coming to load cement, clinker and rice.

The minister said that presently, the Karachi Port and Port Qasim each had dedicated two berths for unloading wheat but they fall much short of unloading requirements because some of the KPT berths, which had collapsed, are still under construction.

He further said that the TCP had been asked to streamline its transportation system for early lifting of wheat from port areas, which was creating space problem for the ports. And in future, the TCP would inform the ports in advance about the expected arrivals of wheat ships to ensure timely availability of berths, he added.

Presently, around 124,000 tons of imported wheat is lying in the open on PQA berths and another about 32,000 tons is on KPT berths. This is causing space problem for both the ports.

Responding to a question the minister said the Gwadar Port could be used for unloading wheat but the cost factor is a major issue. He said even if big vessels are engaged for the haulage of wheat handling and transportation cost will remain higher than Karachi.

The biggest problem at Gwadar is the non-availability of the port labour.

The minister, who kept the media waiting for over two hours, did not come up with a pragmatic solution for the removal of port congestion.

The port and shipping experts suggested that the ports could use container terminal for unloading wheat or vessel should be double-banked to discharge cargo in barges. Similarly, moorings may also be used to accommodate vessels to discharge cargo in barges.

The ports should use the PNSC vessels to lighter wheat cargo vessels at anchorage to avoid demurrage.

The TCP be asked to improve logistics in coordination with railways, NLC and private haulers by giving incentives to lift 100,000 tons wheat lying at Port Qasim.

The discharge rate of wheat from vessels be monitored and the project and general cargo vessels be handled at the QICT so that more berths could be available for unloading wheat.