Ports of World

Port of Karachi (Urdu: بندر گاہ كراچى

2Digg meThe Port of Karachi (Urdu: بندر گاہ كراچى ) is Pakistan’s largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation’s cargo (25 million tons per annum). The port is located between the towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the heart of old Karachi, the main business district, and several industrial areas. The [...]

The Port of Karachi (Urdu: بندر گاہ كراچى ) is Pakistan’s largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation’s cargo (25 million tons per annum). The port is located between the towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the heart of old Karachi, the main business district, and several industrial areas. The geographic position of Karachi places the port in close proximity to major shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. The administration of the port is carried out by the Karachi Port Trust which was established in the nineteenth century.

Environmental Concerns

The area around the harbour includes several mangrove forests which are constantly under threat from human activities. To the east of the port lies Chinna Creek, which covers about 6 km² and is dotted with mangrove islands. To the southwest of the port is another much larger mangrove forest in the bay formed by several islands and Manora breakwater; the river Layari flows into this bay, bringing waste from upstream suburbs.^[10]

The beach immediately east of the harbour was the scene of a significant oil spillage when the Greek-registered Tasman Spirit ran aground on July 28 2003.^[11] The environmental impact included large numbers of dead fish and turtles and damage to a key mangrove forest, as well as dozens of people suffering nausea.^[12]