The following release was published by Maersk:
Maersk adds Karachi call to Maersk’s FI3 service rotation to provide its customers faster connectivity between the Far East Asian markets and Pakistan.
Karachi: A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) welcomed the Maersk Karachi container vessel at the South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT) for the first time on the recently updated FI3 ocean service today. With the addition of Karachi to the rotation, Maersk brings direct coverage of the Far East markets to Pakistan’s importers and exporters with around 30% quicker transit times.
"Our commitment to Pakistan only gets stronger as we welcome our Maersk Karachi vessel here at Karachi Port today. Our ambition is to ensure that we curate solutions that enable our customers to participate in global trade in the most competitive manner.” He added, “SAPT is a high-tech, deep sea port that also has the advantage of being closer to the city, reducing landside movement, thus contributing to further cost- and time-savings for our customers."
Hasan Faraz Managing Director, Maersk Pakistan
Karachi Port’s proximity to the consumer market, fisheries and industrial hubs will help customers to more than half their transit times compared to some of the other major ports in Pakistan. This way, the transit times are quicker on both ocean and landside transportation.
The inclusion of Karachi on the updated FI3 service will significantly benefit imports from China for sectors associated with the automotive industry and other commercial importers. As far as exports are concerned, perishable commodities, such as seafood, citrus and vegetables, moving on reefer (refrigerated containers) to the Far East will benefit from reduced transit time that will also curb food wastage.
The FI3 service follows the rotation Qingdao – Xingang – Busan – Tanjung Pelepas – Port Klang – Jawaharlal Nehru – Pipavav – Karachi (SAPT) – Mundra – Colombo – Port Klang – Singapore.
Source: Maersk