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Saudi shipping company plans direct service to QICT from April

MUZAFFAR QURESHI

KARACHI: The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (NSCSA) is scheduled to commence its direct shipping service to Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT) of Port Qasim next month. The service will help boost Pakistani exports to the kingdom.

The first vessel of the company 'S. Hofuf' will call at QICT in April 2000

Announcing the service, a QICT spokesman described the event a great breakthrough and said that a ship of national shipping company of Saudi Arabia will call at Port Qasim as a regular service for the first time in the shipping history of the two countries. This would greatly enhance import and export trade to and from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia and the USA.

He said that through this service the Saudi National Shipping Company would provide transportation facility from QICT to the USA via Jeddah.

Prior to the agreement for the start of service, Managing Director of P e O Ports, Sydney, Douglas Anderson and Regional Director Captain J.S. Sarbh visited QICT to ensure that the new service is provided appropriate handling at the terminal.

It may be pointed out that P e O Ports are the international port developers and provide service to many worldwide ports including Port Qasim.

Hitherto there was no direct shipping service between Karachi and Jeddah and the new service will greatly help in boosting national exports to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.

It may be pointed out that the QICT has also offered Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) to start regular liner service from Port Qasim to overseas destinations for the benefit of the country's trade. The QICT spokesman said that with the emerging signs of improvement in the national economy there would be good prospects for the national shipping service to get good cargo business.