Pakistan International Bulk Terminal
{{#badges: CoalSwarm|Navbar-Pakistancoal}} Pakistan International Bulk Terminal is a coal and cement terminal under development at Port Qasim in Karachi, Pakistan, on the coastline of the Arabian Sea. It is sponsored by Marine Group of Companies, and will be operated by Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited.
Contents
Location
Port Qasim is located adjacent to the Bin Qasim town, in the southern part of Malir district, Karachi division, in Sindh. It is situated in an old channel of the Indus River at a distance of 35 kilometers east of Karachi city center.
Background
The terminal was initially planned to have the capacity for handling up to 12 million tonnes of coal and 4 million tonnes of cement & clinker per year, which together may be further enhanced up to 20 million tonnes per year.[1]
In February 2015 Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited (PIBT) decided to increase the capacity of its under-construction coal terminal to 16 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). The expansion will require an additional investment of US$70 million, bringing the total cost of the coal terminal to US$255 million - 55% of which will be financed by banks.[2]
The terminal was expected to be completed by mid-2016, but may be pushed back by the capacity expansion.[2]
The country handled its first coal cargo in May 2017. Capacity was reported to be 12 mtpa.[3]
Karachi Port
In June 2018, Pakistan’s Supreme Court banned the unloading of thermal coal at Pakistan's Karachi Port, saying the coal terminal violated local health and safety regulations. As a result of the ruling all coal imports into Pakistan will have to be routed to the Pakistan International Bulk Terminal, about 40 kilometres from the Karachi city centre. It is estimated it costs up to US$10 per tonne more to handle coal imported via Port Qasim than in Karachi.[4]
Proposed coal plants near the port
As of mid-2015 there are a number of proposed coal plants for the Port Qasim area that would import coal through the port, including Port Qasim Burj power station, Port Qasim EPC power station, Port Qasim Siddiqsons power station, Karachi power station, Bin Qasim power station (Asiapak/Dongfang), Jamshoro power station, and Bin Qasim power station (conversion from fuel oil to coal).
According to a June 2014 article in Business Recorder, Asiapak Investments (J Energy Pvt Ltd Pakistan) and Dongfang Electric Corporation signed a Memorandum of Agreement to build the 1320-megawatt (MW) Bin Qasim power station (Asiapak/Dongfang) comprising six 220 MW units at Bin Qasim, Karachi. The project is aimed at commercial operation in the first quarter of 2018. Asiapak is also partnering with international companies to establish coal import and handling infrastructure at Port Qasim with 10 million tonnes per annum throughput capacity.[5]
Project Details
- Sponsor: Marine Group of Companies
- Location: Bin Qasim town, Malir district, Karachi division, Sindh
- Coal Capacity (Million tonnes per annum): 12
- Status: Construction
- Projected In Service: mid-2016
- Type: Imports
- Source of Coal: Indonesia, South Africa
- Cost: US$255 million
- Financing:
Articles and Resources
Sources
- ↑ "Introduction," Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited, accessed June 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Saad Hasan, "Coal terminal: PIBT to expand capacity with $70m additional investment," The Express Tribune, February 27, 2015
- ↑ "Dirty Cargo Terminal handles first vessel," Dawn on PIBT website, May 4, 2017
- ↑ "Pakistan orders all coal imports to discharge at Port Qasim from Aug," Platts, 22 Jun 2018
- ↑ "1320 megawatts coal-fired power plant at Bin Qasim: Asiapak Investment, Dongfang Electric China sign MoA," Business Recorder, June 6, 2014
Related SourceWatch articles
External resources
- International Energy Agency, "Coal in Pakistan in 2006", International Energy Agency website, accessed August 2009.
- U.S. Geological Survey, "The Mineral Industry of Pakistan", reports 1994-2007.
- Chin S. Kuo, "The Mineral Industry of Pakistan: 2007, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, April 2009.
External Articles
- "Thar coal reserves can turn around Pakistani fortunes," Steel Guru, 2/5/09.
- "Sindh: UAE, Korea to set up 1,000 MW coal power plant", Pakistan Realog, July 22, 2009.
- "Thar Coal Project", Industry & Economy, undated, accessed May 2010.
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