The move comes after the repositioning of regional transhipment volumes in the past decade left its container facility struggling for volumes.
“Imports from Pakistan through Khorfakkan Container Terminal arrive a day earlier than other ports, resulting in significant cost savings,” the Sharjah, UAE-based company said this week.
The company sees this as a more cost-effective and efficient shipment process for exports coming from Pakistan. Shipping companies could save 10-12% of their network expenses by sailing to Khorfakkan due to lower vessel fuel costs, it said.
Gulftainer’s website says KCT’s capacity is 5m teu, with six berths, quay length of 1,880m, 18 quay cranes, and a draft of 16m. It has been tight-lipped about volumes in recent years.
KCT allows more direct access as compared to terminals situated in neighbouring areas, resulting in significantly reduced shipment processing and transit times, Gulftainer believes, in a reference to port facilities in Jebel Ali and Taweelah in Abu Dhabi, managed by DP World and AD Ports Group, respectively.
“[It] is the only fully-fledged operational container terminal situated within the Emirate of Sharjah, additionally serving as a convenient land bridge to local container imports further into the UAE.”
In 2015, throughput at KCT was 3.4m teu, before United Arab Shipping Company’s merger with Hapag-Lloyd led it to move its volumes to other ports in the region.
“Pakistan and the UAE have historically always had great trade relations, a trend that continues strongly till today. We have determined that the KCT is a highly efficient port to transport valuable exports from Pakistan, resulting in future growth and enhanced business relations between the two countries,” said Andrew Hoad, Chief Commercial Officer at Gulftainer.
“Through KCT, shipments reach the UAE a day earlier as compared to transit through other ports. Additionally, transit time between KCT and consignee warehouses is reduced by four to five days on average, as compared to imports through other terminals in the UAE, further benefiting from supreme and exceptional quality of services.”
Just 20km down the road from Khorfakkan, Fujairah is the world’s No.3 bunkering hub and a thriving port-services and container facility in its own right, as the UAE continues to assert its status as a major global maritime centre.
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