A new on dock-rail service connects Karachi and Lahore.
Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT), a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), in cooperation with the state-owned Pakistan Railways, recently successfully launched a dedicated rail cargo service connecting the cities of Karachi and Lahore.
ICTSI acquired a majority stake in PICT in 2012. PICT holds a 21-year concession at Karachi Port for a period of 21 years, commencing 2002.
“As the only terminal at the Port of Karachi with internal rail connection, PICT enjoys a competitive edge in local market, and expects to improve its global competitiveness with this new feature,” ICTSI stated.
Khurram Khan, PICT chief executive officer, said “PICT hopes to be the container terminal of choice for trade at the Karachi Port. Our leadership strives to implement initiatives that provide customer-centric solutions in line with the Government’s strategic plans. This rail service provides us with more efficiency and flexibility. As an alternative, rail transport, this reduces the cost of doing business for clients. At the same time, this helps alleviate congestion on the city roads. We thank and congratulate all the parties involved in making this possible.”
PICT is focused on developing value added services, and Khan said the new rail service is a key step towards providing “end-to-end logistics solutions for our customers.” In particular the new service is targeting agricultural goods, textiles, fertilizers, sports goods, electronics and consumer goods that move from Karachi to upcountry markets. The distance by road from Karachi to Lahore is around 1,250km.
Source: WorldCargo News
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