The government has finalised a set of recommendations to reduce container dwell time at Karachi Port and Port Qasim, aiming to improve cargo clearance efficiency and ease congestion at the country’s two key seaports.
A high-level committee presented these proposals to the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, on Tuesday, read a statement released by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
Anwar instructed that the recommendations be forwarded to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) the same day, with directions to prepare an implementation plan within two weeks.
The high-level committee was established by Anwar and is chaired by Umer Zafar Sheikh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, with representatives from Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Port Qasim Authority (PQA), Pakistan Customs, terminal operators, FBR, and other relevant stakeholders.
During the meeting, the federal minister emphasised that the plan seeks to align Pakistan’s port operations with global benchmarks, enabling faster clearances, smoother trade flows, and reduced operational costs.
He also restructured the committee, assigning it a new mandate as an implementation body responsible for coordinating with the FBR and monitoring progress within the specified timeframe.
“The recommendations focus on addressing bottlenecks across the clearance chain, from delays in goods declaration filing, adjudication, and laboratory testing, to issues related to transportation, examination, auctioning, and gate-out processes,” read the statement.
KPT handles all-time high cargo in FY25
Key measures include promoting early or pre-arrival filing of goods declarations, shortening the filing window, and introducing fines for late submissions. The committee has proposed virtual hearings to speed up adjudication, while the use of rapid screening technologies and expanded laboratory facilities has been advised to reduce testing delays.
“To ease congestion at terminals, the committee has recommended faster auctioning and disposal of overstayed cargo, expansion of grounding capacity, and greater deployment of labour and customs examiners,” read the statement.
Moreover, around-the-clock operations have been suggested for customs assessments, examinations, laboratory work, and shipping services. Transportation improvements include extending bonded transit, simplifying tracker installation, increasing escort staff, and lifting night-time restrictions on heavy vehicles.
The committee noted that plans for infrastructure development highlight the need for truck holding areas, dedicated rail freight corridors, and multi-modal transport systems to reduce reliance on roads.
Digitalisation forms another major component of the strategy, with proposals for artificial intelligence-based risk profiling of importers, the creation of a dedicated stakeholder portal within the WeBOC system, e-auction facilities, and real-time communication channels linking terminals, traders, and transporters.
The committee has also recommended reducing the free period for containers under the green and yellow channels from five days to three, enforcing strict gate-out timelines, and introducing penalties for non-compliance.
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