Maritime ministry rejects proposal for two ports’ merger

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs has turned down a suggestion put forward by members of the Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs for administrative merger of two key ports to reduce unnecessary administrative expenses and streamline their affairs. The committee meeting, held here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Senator Faisal Vawda, discussed development and expansion of the maritime sector. Some members of the committee suggested a feasibility study related to the merger of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Port Qasim Authority (PQA). Members stressed that apparently, it would be a costly affair to operate the two institutions as separate entities versus a potential merger of the PQA and KPT. In response to the cost-cutting suggestion, Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh claimed that PQA has a unique business model, which includes an industrial complex with 18 berths that is a blend of public-private partnerships (PPP).