KARACHI: The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd (SCI) has, for the first time, appointed a Pakistani firm to handle its container cargo, company's top executive told The News on Tuesday.
"SCI has added Pakistan to its global network and will now be providing container services from Pakistan to Europe, Mediterranean, Gulf, Far East and India," said Asim Saeed Khan chief executive General Maritime Pvt. Ltd.
The deal has been signed on May 29, 2010 and it will start its operation from September 2010, Khan informed.
"Services of General Maritime will originate from Karachi and will cater to all the major inland locations in Pakistan," he said.
Prior to this Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) was the sole agent of the SCI in Pakistan and SCI was the sole agent of PNSC in India as per the Shipping Protocol signed by India and Pakistan in 1975 both corporations were bound to be each others agents in their respective countries said Mohammad Rajpar, director, General Maritime.
He added that in the 1975 Shipping Protocol India and Pakistan agreed that both countries would load cargo for India and Pakistan and refrain from doing business through a third country.
In December 2006 Senator Babar Khan Ghauri, Federal Minister of Ports and Shipping of Pakistan and TR Baalu, Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways of India signed another protocol replacing the 1975 one.
The new protocol has improved salient features and focused to improve direct shipping services between the two countries on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual benefit. "This agreement with the SCI is the result of the shipping protocol 2006.
This sort of agreement between the two countries is a positive sign and this will improve trade between India and Pakistan," Rajpar said.
The agreement would increase the competition and choices for the exporters & importers and freight charges will decrease.
SCI's Europe transit time is very fast and efficient as compare to other international shipping corporations.
He added that Shipping Corporation of India Ltdis one of the market leaders in shipping industry providing worldwide coverage and services in containerised sectors, and in bulk, break-bulk, and oil tankers.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/25-08-2010/business/992.htm
"SCI has added Pakistan to its global network and will now be providing container services from Pakistan to Europe, Mediterranean, Gulf, Far East and India," said Asim Saeed Khan chief executive General Maritime Pvt. Ltd.
The deal has been signed on May 29, 2010 and it will start its operation from September 2010, Khan informed.
"Services of General Maritime will originate from Karachi and will cater to all the major inland locations in Pakistan," he said.
Prior to this Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) was the sole agent of the SCI in Pakistan and SCI was the sole agent of PNSC in India as per the Shipping Protocol signed by India and Pakistan in 1975 both corporations were bound to be each others agents in their respective countries said Mohammad Rajpar, director, General Maritime.
He added that in the 1975 Shipping Protocol India and Pakistan agreed that both countries would load cargo for India and Pakistan and refrain from doing business through a third country.
In December 2006 Senator Babar Khan Ghauri, Federal Minister of Ports and Shipping of Pakistan and TR Baalu, Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways of India signed another protocol replacing the 1975 one.
The new protocol has improved salient features and focused to improve direct shipping services between the two countries on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual benefit. "This agreement with the SCI is the result of the shipping protocol 2006.
This sort of agreement between the two countries is a positive sign and this will improve trade between India and Pakistan," Rajpar said.
The agreement would increase the competition and choices for the exporters & importers and freight charges will decrease.
SCI's Europe transit time is very fast and efficient as compare to other international shipping corporations.
He added that Shipping Corporation of India Ltdis one of the market leaders in shipping industry providing worldwide coverage and services in containerised sectors, and in bulk, break-bulk, and oil tankers.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/25-08-2010/business/992.htm