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EPTL, ICI sign

PTA plant

KARACHI: Engro Paktank Terminal Limited (EPTL) has signed a 15-year contract with ICI Pakistan Limited for providing services and facilities for reception storage and delivery of Paraxylene and Acetic Acid for ICI's Pure Tereplthalic Acid (PTA) plant, at EPTL's Liquid Chemical Terminal being constructed at Port Qasim, says a press release.

Engro Paktank Terminal Limited is a 50-50 joint venture between Engro Chemical Pakistan Limited and Paktank Asia Pacific B.V. (a subsidiary of Royal Pakhoed N.V. of the Netherlands). EPTL is setting up the country's first dedicated liquid chemical Jetty Terminal at Port Qasim. Construction of this project is commencing shortly with targeted completion in 3rd quarter of 1997. The total cost of the first phase of the project is US$65 million. The project will offer industry and traders a modern facility to handle liquid chemicals in a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly manner.

ICI Pakistan Limited is constructing a Pure Tereplthalic Acid Plant (PTA) at Port Qasim at an estimated cost of US$450 million and annual capacity of 400,000 tonnes per year. It will use Paraxylene and Acetic Acid as two principal feed stocks with total volumes projected at 280,000 tonnes per annum. EPTL will provide services to receive the feed stocks from ships, store these chemicals and make them available to ICI at EPTL's Liquid Chemical Terminal.

Both the these projects are being viewed as significant milestones in the growth and development of Pakistan's chemical industry.