PIBT refuses priority berthing for Jamshoro coal vessel, warns of disruption to other power plants

Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited has declined a request for priority berthing for a coal vessel headed to the Jamshoro power plant. In a letter to the Secretary Maritime Affairs, CEO Sharique A Siddiqui warned that queue-jumping could hold up coal supplies to other grid-connected plants. According to Profit, the terminal says it is strictly applying the berthing-on-turn system monitored by the Port Qasim Authority.

PIBT stated that the vessel had already missed two berthing slots because of technical faults. A rudder fault blocked entry to the port channel after the first notice on July 27, and an anchor-machinery fault stopped a second attempt after the August 25 notice. The company rejected claims that port congestion and its scheduled annual maintenance were the main causes, saying the ship had not stayed ready for nearly a month.

The terminal added that customers had received months of notice about maintenance of cargo-handling gear, which was already deferred twice for coal needs. Further delay is ruled out, so its engineers will work day and night, while berthed ships keep unloading with their own cranes. PIBT asked the ministry to weigh the vessel's technical issues and the terminal's operating limits, and to keep the existing sequence for vessels that submit valid notices.