Maersk vessel reaches Karachi

KARACHI: AP Moller – Maersk, a Denmark-based container logistics company, welcomed the Maersk Karachi vessel at the South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT) for the first time on the recently updated FI3 ocean service, a statement said on Tuesday.

The FI3 service, which connects Pakistan with China, South Korea, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and Singapore, now includes Karachi as a port of call, bringing direct coverage of the Far East markets to Pakistan’s importers and exporters with around 30 percent quicker transit times.

"Our commitment to Pakistan only gets stronger as we welcome our Maersk Karachi vessel here at Karachi Port today. Our ambition is to ensure that we curate solutions that enable our customers to participate in global trade in the most competitive manner," said Hasan Faraz, Managing Director of Maersk Pakistan.

He added that SAPT, a high-tech, deep sea port that is closer to the city, would reduce landside movement and contribute to further cost- and time-savings for customers.

The inclusion of Karachi on the updated FI3 service will significantly benefit imports from China for sectors associated with the automotive industry and other commercial importers, the company said.

As far as exports are concerned, perishable commodities, such as seafood, citrus and vegetables, moving on reefer (refrigerated containers) to the Far East will benefit from reduced transit time that will also curb food wastage, it added.

The FI3 service follows the rotation Qingdao – Xingang – Busan – Tanjung Pelepas – Port Klang – Jawaharlal Nehru – Pipavav – Karachi (SAPT) – Mundra – Colombo – Port Klang – Singapore.