KARACHI, March 11: A Panamax class vessel, laden with 72,900 tons of wheat, arrived from Canada early on Monday morning, but was not allowed to berth at the country’s first deep-sea Gwadar Port.

The vessel is presently waiting for the lighterage at the outer anchorage which is expected to start late on Tuesday night.

Post Glory, with 75,000dwt, is loaded with wheat purchased by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), and is having a draft of 14 metres, which, sources said, does not fall within the existing parameters of the Gwadar Port.

Though the port was specifically built for large vessels of Panamax class, no reason could be known as to why the vessel was not allowed to berth directly.

Port and shipping circles have questioned as to who is responsible for messing up the entire shipment by allowing a huge vessel which fails to meet the Gwadar Port specifications and parameters, vis-à-vis draft.

The sources further said that long delays in the discharge of cargo would result in the claim of demurrage by the shipping company.

Shipping circles told Dawn that the TCP has engaged a PNSC vessel, M V Hyderabad, for lighterage, and around 9,000 tons of wheat would have to be unloaded before the Post Glory is allowed to berth at the Gwadar Port at a draft of 12.5 metres.

At the time of inauguration of the Gwadar Port a year ago, its approach channel and two berths, with 600 metres quay wall, were having 14-metre draft, but it is not clear if the draft reduced due to accumulation of silt or any other reason.

However, shipping circles confirmed that at present the permissible draft of channel and berths is not more than 12.5 metres.

The government had given the TCP a task to import around 1.73 million tons of wheat to meet its domestic shortfall and on Jan 1, a tender for import of around 460,000 tons was issued.

Business circles said the TCP had issued two tenders of 70,000 and 65,000 tons cost and freight, respectively, for Gwadar and Port Qasim at $433 and 450 per ton.

The company belonging to Najib Balagamwala had offered bids for both, but could not perform. Similarly, Glan Care Grain, with their local agents, Zubair & Co, made a bid for 65,000 tons, but also refused.

Later, the TCP asked the United Resource Corporation, local agents of Louis Dreyfus, to perform the task on Jan 24.

As the company earlier did not participate in the tender to offer a matching bid for both the tenders, the formality was completed, and later the TCP entered into an agreement with the company.

According to tender documents, the supplier would have to get prior approval for the vessel to be used for haulage of wheat, and in this case it was duly done.

The TCP had asked the supplier to ensure that the vessel being used for haulage of wheat meets the port specifications and parameters which also include draft of approach channel and berths.

But a question is had the supplier attended to this issue and got required information from the Gwadar Port authorities about the permissible draft and other port parameters which are now being faced and a huge Panamax class vessel which otherwise could have been given direct berth is now being lighteraged prior to be given berth.

Sources said that it was the responsibility of Gwadar Porth Authority (GPA) to maintain draft of approach channel and of berths by doing regular dredging, but in case any vessel wants to use facilities, it has to seek prior approval, viz-a-viz parameters and permissible draft of any port.

Shipping experts said that the GPA has to answer as to why channel and berths were not properly maintained to ensure original draft at 14 metres which makes it different from other ports of the country which are only feeder ports.

Last year there had been cyclones and heavy monsoon rains which must have added silt, but again what the GPA was doing towards its responsibility, they added.

They further pointed out it was a common practice the world over that whenever there is an inquiry form a shipping company about the permissible draft of a port, its regulatory body carries out survey and comes up with a proper reply to avoid any mishap at the port.