Molasses, ethanol export suffering

The Terminal Association of Pakistan (TAP) said that a number of vessels calling at the Karachi Port for loading molasses and ethanol were given berths after long delays causing huge financial loss to exporters towards demurrage payment.

The exporters of molasses and ethanol are suffering financial losses towards demurrage payments due to long delays in giving berths to vessels arrived at the Karachi Port to load the commodities.

In a communication to Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Chairperson Nasreen Haque on Tuesday, the Terminal Association of Pakistan (TAP), which represents operators/exporters and owners of bulk liquid storage tank terminals, protested the biased treatment being meted out to its members.

The association said that the KPT Operations Department did not give priority to export cargo vessels.

It pointed out that throughout the world export trade was given priority to keep favourable balance in external trade.
While objecting to the preference being given by KPT’s Operations Department in giving berths to vessels loaded with imported goods, the association lamented that despite repeated requests and exchange of messages with the KPT officials no remedial measures had so far been taken.

The association maintained that a number of vessels calling at the Karachi Port for loading molasses and ethanol were given berths after long delays causing huge financial loss to exporters towards demurrage payment.

The TAP urged the KPT chairperson to intervene in the matter and save exporters from suffering losses for no fault at their end. The association also requested for giving priority in berthing to vessels on their way to load export consignments of molasses and ethanol during next 15 days.

The problem of berthing to liquid bulk cargo carriers aggravated owing to the de-commissioning of Bulk Oil Pier I for 45 days for repair work of its fenders from second week of last month.

The TAP also demanded that Dry Berth One having facility to accommodate liquid bulk carriers should be solely allocated to export cargo as it was done in the past to encourage export trade.

source: dawn