KARACHI: The Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) is facing growing criticism over its operational failures, resulting in delays in clearance and additional financial burdens for the trade.
Arshad Khurshid, Chairman of the All Pakistan Customs Agents Association (APCAA), has expressed dissatisfaction with the worsening situation at KICT, where container grounding is lasting 3-6 days for examination, instead of the 24 hours mandated by international standards.
Terming delays in containers’ grounding as a root cause of congestion at KICT, chairman APCAA said: “If it persists, it will collapse the entire clearance chain, which is unacceptable as it is costing millions to the importers for unnecessary demurrage and detention charges.
“Even after Customs examination is completed, containers frequently remain pending for re-stuffing and delivery for an additional 2-3 days, creating a cascade of supply chain disruptions countrywide,” he said.
The APCAA chairman highlighted several specific issues plaguing terminal operations:
Failure to promptly de-seal and arrange cargo within grounded containers significantly slowing the customs examination process, improper handling of fabric and high-volume cargo shipments, forcing importers into costly dual deliveries due to handling inefficiencies.
These operational lapses have created a compounding effect, with delays at each stage contributing to an increasingly severe backlog that is impacting trade nationwide.
Supply chain disruptions are affecting industries dependent on timely imports, with the ripple effects extending far beyond Karachi’s port operations, he added.
Despite repeated communications, KICT management has reportedly taken no meaningful corrective measures to address the deteriorating situation, Arshad said.
The chairman APCAA has called for urgent remedial measures to restore normal operations, specifically demanding:
Guaranteed container grounding within 24 hours of request, in line with international service standards, timely delivery of customs-cleared containers without post-clearance delays, immediate resolution of both grounding and delivery bottlenecks.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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