Terminal operator to invest $75m
码头运营商将投资7500万美元
Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL) has planned an investment of $75 million in the multipurpose and clean bulk terminal in the initial two years to boost the terminal’s capabilities.
The terminal operator aims to make the initial investment to cover upfront fees, prepayments, the cost of superstructure and equipment.
Additionally, a capital injection of $100 million has been planned over five years to further bolster the terminal’s capabilities, industry officials say. This substantial infusion of funds is projected to increase efficiency and capacity by 75%, enabling the terminal to handle up to 14 million tonnes of cargo per annum, a significant enhancement from its current capacity of eight million tonnes.
Industry officials said that the efficient operational design of KGTL’s cargo yard, featuring a designated truck holding area, digitised truck-in and truck-out processes, truck labeling for precise loading bay allocation, and the installation of weighbridges, has optimised operations. The terminal can now simultaneously berth seven bulk cargo ships without experiencing any traffic congestion. Previously, it could only accommodate up to three ships at a time, often resulting in significant traffic bottlenecks in the yard.
卡拉奇港湾码头有限公司（KGTL）计划在最初两年内投资7500万美元建设多功能清洁散货码头，以提高码头的能力。
该码头运营商的初始投资旨在支付前期费用、预付款、上层建筑和设备成本。
此外，还计划在五年内注资1亿美元，以进一步提高码头的能力。预计这笔巨额注资将使码头的效率和吞吐能力提高75%，使码头的年吞吐能力达到1400万吨，比目前的800万吨吞吐能力有了显著提高。
行业官员表示，KGTL货场的高效运营设计，包括指定的卡车停放区、数字化的卡车进出流程、精确分配装卸区的卡车标签以及地磅的安装，优化了运营。该码头现在可以同时停靠七艘散装货船，而不会出现交通拥堵。在此之前，该码头一次最多只能停靠三艘船，常常导致堆场出现严重的交通瓶颈。
Large-scale manufacturing sector grows for third month in Feb
大型制造业2月份连续第三个月增长
The quantum of large-scale manufacturing (LSM) rose 0.06 per cent in February, its third increase in a row, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday.
The annual change in the LSM index has been mostly positive since August 2023, when it rose 0.26pc. Before that, the index was down for 13 consecutive months.
The removal of import restrictions, clearance of outstanding letters of credit and improved dollar liquidity following improvement in the State Bank’s foreign exchange reserves are considered to help pick up economic activity.
As for this fiscal year’s first eight months (July to February), the large-scale manufacturing index fell 0.51pc year-on-year to 117.99 points. The PBS data showed that the cumulative change in the index was in the negative for the 20th month in a row, i.e. since July 2022.
During July-February, 11 of 22 sectors witnessed positive growth, including food, beverages, wearing apparel, leather, wood products, coke and petroleum products, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, rubber products, machinery and equipment, and furniture.
巴基斯坦统计局周二发布的数据显示，2月份大规模制造业（LSM）的数量增长了0.06%，这是连续第三个月增长。
自2023年8月指数上升 0.26个百分点以来，LSM指数的年度变化大多为正值。在此之前，该指数连续13个月下降。
随着国家银行外汇储备的增加，进口限制的取消、未结清信用证的清算和美元流动性的改善被认为有助于经济活动的回暖。
本财年前八个月（7月至次年2月），大规模制造业指数同比下降0.51个百分点，降至117.99点。公共统计局的数据显示，自2022年7月以来，该指数的累计变化已连续20个月为负值。
7月至2月期间，22个行业中有11个实现正增长，包括食品、饮料、服装、皮革、木制品、焦炭和石油产品、化工、医药、橡胶制品、机械设备和家具。
Production at big industries slows down
大型工业生产放缓
The production of goods at large-scale manufacturing industries (LSMI) such as food, textile, fertiliser and construction material dropped for the second consecutive month, contracting to around 126 on the Quantum Index of Manufacturing (QIM) for February 2024.
Data breakdown showed that the production of goods in food, wearing apparel, coke and petroleum products, chemicals, fertiliser, pharmaceutical, machinery and equipment, and furniture sectors increased in FY24 while the output of tobacco, textile, paper and board, non-metallic mineral products, iron and steel products, electrical equipment, automobiles and other transport equipment decreased.
Inaddition, Pakistan has begun talks with the IMF to secure a new, larger loan package to continue to repay the maturing foreign debt and get the much-needed financing to shore up economic activities. Pakistan aims to win the IMF’s programme by the end of June 2024, while the global lender has urged the government to keep a tight monetary policy.
在2024年2月的制造业量子指数（QIM）中，食品、纺织、化肥和建筑材料等大型制造业（LSMI）的商品产量连续第二个月下降，缩减至126左右。
细分数据显示，食品、服装、焦炭和石油产品、化工、化肥、制药、机械设备和家具行业的商品产量在24财年有所增长，而烟草、纺织、纸张和纸板、非金属矿物产品、钢铁产品、电气设备、汽车和其他运输设备的产量则有所下降。
此外，巴基斯坦已开始与国际货币基金组织（IMF）谈判，以获得新的、更大规模的一揽子贷款，继续偿还到期外债，并获得急需的资金来支持经济活动。巴基斯坦的目标是在2024年6月底之前赢得国际货币基金组织的方案，而IMF已敦促巴基斯坦政府保持紧缩的货币政策。
China to solarize Pakistan Railways
中国将为巴基斯坦铁路提供太阳能
In collaboration with China, a plan is afoot to shift Pakistan Railways to solar energy in a bid to ward off colossal financial damages and lay the foundation of green energy in railway infrastructure.
Initially, 100 sites with heavy electricity consumption have been identified and once shifted to solar energy, it would save at least Rs1 billion a year for the entity.
According to senior PR officials, the government of Pakistan and Chinese firms have been negotiating to hammer out an actional deal.
“Pakistan has started attuning its transport infrastructure to realize its vision of high-quality green and sustainable development,” he added.
The officials said that the railway management has assigned NESPAK to complete the feasibility study of installing solar panels on selected sites, adding that 16,535 out of 26,660 electric meters so far of the railway’s residential complexes are shifted to Distribution Companies (Discos) and Karachi-Electric (KE) to minimise the financial losses. “The electric meters of residential complexes are being shifted to Discos by the department and the step has resulted in savings of Rs1.3 billion so far,” they added.
巴基斯坦铁路公司正在与中国合作，计划改用太阳能，以避免巨大的经济损失，并为铁路基础设施的绿色能源奠定基础。
初步确定了100个用电量大的站点，一旦改用太阳能，每年将为该实体节省至少10亿卢比。
据高级公关官员透露，巴基斯坦政府和中国公司一直在进行谈判，以达成一项实际协议。
他补充称："巴基斯坦已经开始调整其交通基础设施，以实现其高质量绿色可持续发展的愿景。"
官员们表示，铁路管理部门已指派NESPAK完成在选定地点安装太阳能电池板的可行性研究，并补充称，迄今为止，铁路住宅小区的26660个电表中有16535个被转移到配电公司（Discos）和卡拉奇电力公司（KE），以尽量减少经济损失。他们进一步表示，该部门正在将住宅区的电表转移到配电公司，到目前为止，这一举措已节省了13亿卢比。
