The major port charges include port dues, pilotage in, pilotage out, pilotage charges, ship berthing and storage, it was learnt. Local traders alone pay an estimated $5-6 billion in freight charges, including port charges, for import and export in a year, it was learnt. All the stakeholders may have to reduce charges for the realisation of ultimate port charges rationalisation. Other committee members were including Port Qasim Authority (PQA) chairman, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) chairman and Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) CEO Khurram Aziz. Rajpar, however, said this was a temporary phenomenon and freight charges have nothing to do with the port charges.

Source: The Express Tribune March 27, 2021 04:10 UTC