PORT KARACHI

Location: Karachi lies at the E side of the Pakistani coast approx 60nm NW from the mouth of  River Indus.

General overview: It is the country's largest port and has 30 dry cargo and 3 liquid cargo handling berths including a dedicated container terminal at West Wharf. The principal imports are crude oil, refined petroleum products, edible oils, machinery, fertilisers and grain. The chief exports are raw cotton, rice, textiles and hand crafts.

Traffic figures: Approx 12,000,000t of dry cargo, 14,000,000t of liquid cargo and 652,000teu are handled annually.

Load Line zone: Arabian Sea Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Sep 1 to May 31, Summer Jun 1 to Aug 31.

Max size: Largest vessel handled: "Queen Elizabeth 2", passenger ship, 66,451gt.
Max drafts allowed Karachi port 10.5 m SW
DAY/NIGHT PILOTAGE UNDERTAKEN by KPT.
Working shifts Mon thru Saturday

0730/1630 hrs
1930/0200 hrs.

Over time worked and party ordering same is responsible for payments.

PRE ARRIVAL INFORMATION

ETA's: Initial ETA should be sent 15 days prior to arrival for non container vessels and 7 days for container vessels. ETA should be sent to Karachi Port Trust. Additional ETA's should be sent 96, 72, 48 and 24 hours prior to arrival.
The ETA message should contain the vessel's name, flag, nt, gt, LOA, draft and loading/discharging information.

PORT MAINTAINS SECURITY LEVEL 1

Communications: Karachi coast radio can be used for passing messages. The station operates throughout 24 hours.

Inmarsat communication is possible.
VHF: Ch 16, 12, 11, 09 and 08.
Time: GMT +5.
International dialing code: +92.

Territorial waters: Limit of 12nm claimed for territorial waters and a limit of 200nm for an   exclusive economic zone.

Capital city: Islamabad.

Currency: The unit of currency in Pakistan is the Pakistan Rupee (Re, singular; Rs plural) which consists of 100 paisa.

Capital airport(s): Karachi (KHI) (civil) is 12km NE of the city.

MUHAMMAD BIN QASIM, PAKISTAN

Location: Muhammad Bin Qasim is located approx 32nm SE of Karachi on the E coast of Pakistan.

General overview: Muhammad Bin Qasim is the second largest port of Pakistan after Karachi. It handles a wide range of general cargoes with a single berth exclusively for bulk iron ore.

The principal exports are rice, coke, clinker and steel products. The principal imports are iron ore, coal, fertiliser and wheat.

Traffic figures: Approx 7,800,000t of cargo handled annually.
Load Line zone: Arabian Sea Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Sep 1 to May 31, Summer Jun 1 to Aug 31.

Max size: Port Qasim Notices to Mariners No 32/2002. Information about permissible drafts and dimensions.
 
Maximum permissible drafts and dimensions for vessels calling at Port Qasim during the period from 16 May 2002 to 15 September 2002 are as follows:

PORT MAINTAINS SECURTY LEVEL 1
WORKING SHIFTS;THREE SHIFTS OF 8 HOURS

0800/1600
1600/0000
0001/0800

MAX DRAFTS AVAILABLE 10.5 M
ONLY DAY LIGHT PILOTAGE OF THE CHANNEL IS UNDERTAKEN BY PQA.