Pakistan National Shipping Corporation is planning to ferry people from Doha, Muscat and Dubai. This was revealed in a set of documents received on Monday.
This plan is followed by PNSC’s initial plan in 2016 to run the ferry service from Karachi to ports of Gwadar and Chabahar. According to sources, the plan is expected to reach completion by 2018.
The following recommendations were made in a document, for the commencement of the ferry service:
In addition to the above recommendations, the PNSC submitted a letter to the chairpersons of Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port Authority. The letter contained a request for a waiver on port charges and annual license renewal fees until 2030 as a means to promote the service and encourage investors.
According to a letter written to Federal Secretary of Ministry of Ports and Shipping, the officials of PNSC will hold detailed meetings to present their plans.
PNSC will soon take the government on board with its plans following the discussion of various matters relating to its new venture with the National Assembly Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping.
The corporation has already obtained a no-objection certificate for the venture in March 2017 from the Ministry of Ports and Shipping and has begun the process of scrutiny for ferries.
“The initiative would promote ferry service in Pakistan and encourage both public and private sector entrepreneurs to enter into this trade,” the letter to the Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port said.
Via Dawn