Muhammad Faisal Kaleem

Gwadar offers local traders and international shipping lines a more cost-effective maritime gateway than the three key terminals at Karachi Port, show documents available with Wealth Pakistan. The three key terminals at Karachi Port operated by Karachi Port Trust (KPT) are Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT), Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL), and South Asia Pakistan Terminals Limited (SAPTL).

Gwadar Port, owned by the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), is operated by China Overseas Ports Holding Company (COPHC) under a concession agreement. COPHC is a Chinese state-owned company. As per clause 6.8.2 of the concession agreement signed between GPA and COPHC, “The concession-holder shall have the sole discretion to set, maintain or alter rates for the services provided by the concession holder.”

The lowest tariff rates make this port a cost-effective option for traders. This pricing advantage can enhance regional connectivity and attract international shipping lines. The tariff rates include terminal service charges, weighment charges, documentation charges, and wharfage charges. These charges are applicable to the containers of 20-foot equivalent units, 40-foot equivalent units, and 45-foot equivalent units.

For a 20-foot container in the import category, the tariff rate is USD 73, including USD 45, USD 10, USD 2, USD 5, and USD 11 as terminal service charges, weighment charges, documentation charges, wharfage charges (empty), and wharfage charges (full), respectively. For a 40-foot container in the same category, the tariff rate is USD 104, including USD 55, USD 15, USD 2, USD 10, and USD 22 as terminal service charges, weighment charges, documentation charges, wharfage charges (empty), and wharfage charges (full), respectively.

For a 20-foot container in the export category, the tariff rate is USD 88.5, including USD 60.5 as terminal service charges, USD 10 weighment charges, USD 2 documentation charges, USD 05 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 11 wharfage charges (full). For a 40- and 45-foot container each, the tariff rate is USD 64, including USD 15 as terminal service charges, USD 15 weighment charges, USD 2 documentation charges, USD 10 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 22 wharfage charges (full).

According to the documents, in the import category, the charges for a 20-foot container each at KICT are USD 3,385, including USD 67 as terminal service fee, USD 15.5 weighment charges, USD 2.5 documentation charges, USD 1,100 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 2,200 wharfage charges (full). The charges at this port for a 40-foot container are USD 6,702, including USD 79 terminal service fee, USD 20.5 weighment charges, USD 2.5 documentation charges, USD 2,200 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 4,400 wharfage charges (full).

In the same category, the charges for a 45-foot container are USD 7,527, including USD 79 as terminal service charges, USD 20.5 weighment charges, USD 2.5 document charges, USD 2,475 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 4,950 wharfage charges (full). In the export category, the charges for a 20-foot container are USD 2,178.5, including USD 60.5 terminal service fee, USD 15.5 weighment fee, USD 2.5 documentation charges, USD 1,100 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 1,000 wharfage charges (full).

The charges for a 40-foot container are USD 4,298.5, including USD 75.5 as terminal service charges, USD 20.5 weighment charges, USD 2.5 documentation fee, USD 2,200 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 2,000 wharfage charges (full). The charges for a 45-foot category are USD 4820.5, including USD 72.5 as terminal service charges, USD 20.5 weighment charges, USD 2.5 documentation charges, USD 2,475 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 2,250 wharfage charges (full).  

In the import category at KGTL, the shipment charges for a 20-foot container are USD 3,377.5, including USD 55.75 as terminal service fee, USD 20 weighment fee, USD documentation charges, wharfage charges empty USD 1,100, and wharfage charges full USD 2,200. The tariff rate for each 40-foot container is USD 6,687.75, including USD 65.75 as terminal service charges, USD 20 weighment charges, USD 2 documentation fee, USD 2,200 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 4,400 wharfage charges (full).

For a 45-foot container, the tariff rate is USD 7,507.75, including USD 65.75 as terminal service charges, USD 20 weighment charges, USD 2 documentation charges, USD 2,470 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 4,950 wharfage charges (full).  In the export category, the tariff charges for a 20-foot container are USD 69.25, including 47.25 as terminal service fee, USD 20 weighment charges, and USD 2 documentation fee.

The charges for 40- and 45-foot containers each are USD 81.75, including USD 59.25 as terminal service fee, USD 20.5 weighment charges, and USD 2 documentation fee.  In the importing category at SAPTL, the charges for each 20-foot container are USD 3,390, including USD 72.5 as terminal service fee, USD 15 weighment fee, USD 2.5 documentation charges, USD 1,100 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 2,200 wharfage charges (full.)

For a 45-foot unit, the total charges are USD 7,539, including USD 91.5 as terminal service fee, USD 20.0 weighment fee, USD 2.5 documentation charges, USD 2,475 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 4,950 wharfage charges (full).  In the export category, the charges for a 20-foot container are fixed at USD 2,181.5, including USD 63.5 as terminal service fee, USD 15.5 weighment fee, USD 2.5 documentation charges, USD 1,100 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 1,000 wharfage charges (full).

In case of a 45-foot container, the total charges are USD 4,304, including USD 81.5 as terminal service fee, USD 20 weighment fee, USD 2.5 documentation charges, USD 2,200 wharfage charges (empty), and USD 2,000 wharfage charges (full).  Talking with Wealth Pakistan, senior economist at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said Gwadar Port Authority is steadily becoming a pivotal driver of regional economic integration by offering the lowest tariff structures in Pakistan’s port sector.

“At a time when trade competitiveness hinges on cost efficiency, GPA’s low rates — compared with the sister ports — are attracting attention from both local traders and international shipping lines,” he explained. Dr Ahmad added that GPA’s competitive tariff policy is now emerging as the real catalyst for drawing trade flows. The lowest port handling and shipping charges at Gwadar Port can not only make Pakistani goods more competitive in international markets but also incentivize regional traders, particularly from landlocked Central Asian states, to use Gwadar as their preferred maritime gateway, he said.

Dr Ahmed added that the other terminals at Karachi Port charge relatively higher tariffs, and GPA’s pricing edge could help the country tap into new markets by offering a cost-effective alternative. By attracting greater cargo volumes, Gwadar can stimulate industrial growth in its surrounding areas, encourage investment in warehousing and logistics infrastructure, and create new employment opportunities in Balochistan.

Moreover, Dr Ahmad noted that the GPA’s low tariff regime aligns with Pakistan’s broader economic vision of positioning Gwadar as a regional transshipment hub, competing with ports in the Gulf region.

Credit: INP-WealthPk