20000402

Dredging in PQA

critical areas

beings tomorrow

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) has hired a dredger from Karachi Port Trust which will start the dredging operation from April 3 in critical areas. This is in addition to the dredging contract signed with China Harbour Engineering Corporation which will start dredging in the navigational channel from April 15 next.

Commenting on a news item published in Business Recorder issue of March 26, 2000, which had mentioned ship agents' worries about the reduced depth of the Port Qasim Channel, a PQA spokesman said that the PQA chairman, accompanied by members of the executive committee and staff of port operations, dredging and hydrography departments, made a day-long inspection of the entire 45 km long navigational channel on March 30, 2000. Necessary instructions were issued on the spot for further improvement of the facilities in the channel already existing, including proper location of buoys.

The spokesman pointed out that the PQA had not reduced the depth of its navigational channel. The port will continue to handle vessels as per existing draft of 11 meters. However an additional draft of 0.5 metre over and above 11.00 metre has been allowed at the iron and coal berth during fair weather, subject to availability of sufficient height of tide and favourable breeze.

He admitted that the conditional draft of 0.5 metre had been withdrawn from March 22 due to weather conditions, ahead of the impending monsoon season. However, the withdrawal of the additional draft shall not be applicable to those vessels which have sailed from loading ports by March 22, 2000. Since the existing notice to mariners is due to expire on April 3, 2000, there will be hardly any effect of the aforesaid withdrawal of the conditional draft, he added.