Gwadar port ready for initial operation

ISLAMABAD (April 06 2005): Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Director-General Abdul Raza Durrani has said that port is ready to become functional for initial operation. "We are prepared to start operation as the main berth of 600-meter has been constructed", said Durrani, while speaking in a debate arranged by a private television channel. He said the dredging has been completed, all major equipment of the port has accordingly been placed, and port vehicles have been delivered. Depending on their size, three to four ships could dock at the completed berth, he said.

He said major construction of the port would begin in the second phase when 10 new berths are to be constructed.

"When government issue orders for starting operations we would be fully prepared to do so," he said.

Durrani said the Authority has already reached an agreement with the Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) under which all their equipment, including rigs would move through this port.

"By and large the project would bring development in the whole country as Gwadar is located on the Arabian Sea", he said, adding "which would make it a central point in the sea trade."

GDA Director-General Ahmed Bukhsh Lehri said a master plan has been prepared to avert possibility of any environmental problem by clearly demarcating residential and commercial areas at the port.

"To overcome drinking water shortage, a water supply scheme from Akora Kor Dam has been initiated", he said, adding "a re-cycling plant of 25 million gallons is under way".

Lehri said special by-laws are being made to ensure that a properly planned city without civic problems comes up. Under these laws, the holders of specific land can construct only 50 percent of their land, and would be bound to leave half the land for terraces and lawns, he informed.




Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005

China to invest in Gwadar-II project


ISLAMABAD: Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is arriving on a three-day official visit to Pakistan beginning today. Pakistan and China are set to sign 18-19 bilateral agreements to expand trade, investment and economic relations as well as consolidate strategic relations in the field of defence production.

Some of the most significant deals to be formally inked during the visit include the deepening of Gwadar deep seaport, Chashma-II Nuclear Power Project, 963 MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, Mangla Dam Raising, Thar Coal, Lowari Tunnel and trade deal to facilitate move towards a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Wen Jiabao and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz are scheduled to address Pakistan-China Business Forum on April 6, which would open the doors for business-to-business relations that were until now largely confined to government-to-government ties.

Deepening of the Gwadar port, 50 miles west of Karachi, from about 11 metre to 14 metres is a significant development towards making it a hub for trade and trans-shipment in the region. The port offers enormous business opportunities and a potential alternative to the Persian Gulf ports for trade with the Central Asian Republics (CARs).

"The development work of phase-II of the Gwadar port was always under discussion with China," said Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Privatization and Investment here Monday. Wasim Haqqi, Chairman Board of Investment (BOI), also confirmed signing of the agreement during the visit of the Chinese premier.

China may offer $70-100 million financing for the project. Pakistan bought Gwadar, a fishing village on the Arabian Sea from the Sultanate Oman in the 1950s. Just four months after the 9/11 events, Pakistan and China agreed to develop a port at this place. The development work on Rs14.9 billion phase-I is in progress with the active involvement of China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC), which also placed skilled workers on the site.

China offered $198 million financial package for this phase, including $49 million grant, and $31 million interest-free loan. Pakistan only provided $50 million equity. The government wants to involve the private sector on BOT/BOO basis in the phase-II of this project, with an estimated cost of $600 million, including 9 new berths (two dedicated oil berths with a capacity to handle 200 DWT oil tankers, and one bulk cargo terminal with a capacity to entertain 100 DWT ships).

China has also financed some of the major road projects from Karachi to Gwadar. Pakistan, with the help of the multilateral institutions, is also working on a regional infrastructure project to link Gwadar with Chaman, and to the CARs via Afghanistan.

The formal signing of $350 million financing for the construction of 300 megawatts Chashma-II Nuclear Power Project on Indus River, 280 km south of Islamabad, was also part of the agenda.

Pakistan and China are also likely to sign a formal protocol paving the way for export of Pakistani rice to China. Senior officials also highlighted the possibility of signing agreements for Chinese cooperation in the Mangla Dam Raising and $1.5 billion Neelum-Jhleum Hydropower Project.

Both the countries also want finalisation of an early harvest programme to finally sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Besides Beijing seeks Pakistan’s support on accession to the WTO. During the visit, Chinese and Pakistani leaders are also likely to discuss steps to facilitate existing border trade and further take measures to conclude a new border trade agreement so as to promote their economic development and social stability, especially in the border areas.

In the field of joint defence production, Pakistan and China have extensive cooperation, which includes tanks, fighter jets and now naval frigates F22P on Transfer of Technology (ToT) basis. Pakistan and China have also ambitious fighter jet plan of JF17 Thunder, or Super-7, which was billed as an alternative of any modern day fighter jet for Pakistan. The Chinese are very keen to expand cooperation in this area, as well as in the aviation sector.

The list of Chinese delegates show visit of President China Aviation Industry Corporation, China National Aero Technology Import & Export Corporation, China Electrical Technology Group, ZTE Corporation and many others. China Mobile, one of the leading telecom giants in China, is actively pursuing sale of Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation (PTCL), which is scheduled for bidding before end-June 2005.


http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?ne...=&f_type=source

Gwadar port ready for initial operation

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Abdul Razaq Durrani, the Director General of the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), said that the port was ready to be functional for initial operations.
The port authorities were prepared to start operations as the main berth of 600 meters had been constructed, Razaq said, while speaking in a debate, arranged by a private television channel.
He said that dredging had been completed, all the major port equipment was accordingly placed and port vehicles were delivered. Depending on their size, three to four ships could dock at the completed berth, he said. He said that major construction at the port would begin in the second phase, whereby ten new berths would be constructed.
The port authorities would be fully prepared to start operations as soon as the government issued orders for the same, he said.
He said that the authority had already reached an agreement with the Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), under which all the equipment, including rigs, would move through the port. By and large, the project would bring countrywide development, as Gwadar was located at the centre of the Arabian sea, which would made it a central point in sea trade, he said.
Ahmed Bukhsh Lehri, the Director General of the GDA, said that a master plan had been made to avert possibility of any environmental problem, through clearly dividing residential and commercial areas at the port.
He said that in the wake of shortage of drinking water, a water supply scheme from Akora Kor dam was initiated, besides a re-cycling plant of 25 million gallons was under way.
He said that in order to ensure a proper city without civic problems, special by-laws were being made. Under the laws, holders of 100 square meters land would have to have only fifty percent of their land constructed and would be bound to leave the other half for terrace and lawns, he said.




http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/apr-2005/6/bnews7.php

Can anyone post the link to the aerial/satellite pictures of Gawadar port?

I have pictures
I will try to get them up, asap

some are from the new york times, so how do i give credit, a fair use kind of thing