India developing Chabahar in Iran port for access to Central Asia

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Gwadar may lose business to Iranian port of Chabahar

Thursday, February 26, 2009
By Hina Mahgul Rind


KARACHI: The Gwadar Port that was envisioned to become a trans-shipment port and shipping hub for the landlocked Central Asian States (CAS), Afghanistan and Western China may lose this opportunity to the fast developing Iranian port of Chabahar, a Gwadar Port official said.

The Gwadar Port is yet to become fully operational. The running of the port affairs was given to Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), one of the biggest port operators, so that it will fetch considerable business for making Gwadar Port a success.

The PSA has not fulfilled its business plan of making the port fully operational by 2008. The PSA says the government has failed to provide basic infrastructure including road and rail links that are the main impediments in Gwadar Port development.

To ensure that the port stays a viable destination the Gwadar Port official suggested resuming container business immediately even if in small amount through PSA or if they fail through own resources.

The government should bear the cost of road transportation to resume export activity from Gwadar Port, he said.

The official suggested restricting PSA to the present terminal and the areas adjacent to the terminal handed over to them may be retrieved and handed over to Gwadar Port Authority.

The official further said that master plan of Gwadar Port need to be approved, presently it is approved in principle but nothing so far has been done. Master Plan will protect the entire east bay and coastline east of Surbandar. By securing Master Plan, the basic theme of converting Gwadar Port into a hub port will be secured.

In order to attract sustainable business like Afghan Transit Trade or container cargo at Gwadar Port, one of the viable options is to complete road connectivity of the Port with Chaman and Afghanistan followed by shifting total or part of Afghan transit trade to Gwadar Port.

The land required for Free Zone has been dropped due to its high cost (Rs 6.7 billion). It is suggested that the concerned agency at the Federal Government level may be requested to remand the case to the District Government authorities for review and submission of a workable plan, the official said.

The construction of East Bay Expressway may be undertaken on a fast track as the present arrangement for passage of the cargo truck within town has lot of repercussions. The concerned agency may be directed to execute the development work on priority.

According to government official it is justified to extend Rs.585million subsidy to the Gwadar Port to make it viable. Government supported Port Qasim for ten years to make port fully functional, he reminded. Similarly this will help the Gwadar Port to operate and serve the basic purpose of the port and generate revenues and job opportunities for the people.

He further stated that Stevedoring/Clearing/Ship Agency License to be given to locals and training should be given to the locals in cargo handling to reduce their grievances.

It is learnt that Port of Singapore Authority is trying to attract Afghan Transit Trade and get mining sector to export copper and chrome from Gwadar Port. In this regard PSA is briefing the government of Balochistan to work on connectivity.

It is also said that PSA is pursuing the government to add Gwadar Port in Afghan Trade Notification so that some trade should be started from Gwadar as well.

However ports and shipping industry shows reservation on PSA’s role and said that PSA submitted plan for 40 years specifying business in Gwadar.

According to the PSA business plan the port was to be operational by 50 percent in 2007 and 100 percent in 2008 and had indicated business comprising of coal and container cargo.

The plan also indicated approximate revenue generation for Gwadar Port Authority during the period 2007 and 2008. But PSA, so far relied totally on TCP to have business and lucrative subsidies. It has totally failed in bringing in business to Gwadar Port specially containers.

However PSA says that ports are not run in isolation, port are catalyst for trade and in the absence of basic infrastructures, free zone industrial areas and most importantly the connectivity links to the ports which are major hurdles in running the ports. PSA has fulfilled all agreed requirement but government so far has failed to fulfil the agreed requirements of the ports.


http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=164529
 

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For the uninitiated:

The Chabahar Port and Chabahar Region

Chābahār (Persian: چابهار), previously also Bandar Beheshti, is an Iranian city and a free port (Free Trade Zone) on the coast of the Gulf of Oman.

Chabahar is situated on the Makran Coast of the Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran and is officially designated as a Free Trade and Industrial Zone by Iran's government. Due to its free trade zone status, the city has increased in significance in international trade. The overwhelming majority of the city's inhabitants are ethnic Baluchis speaking the Balochi language.


Economic significance

Chabahar is the closest and best access point of Iran to the Indian Ocean. For this reason, Chabahar is the focal point of Iran for development of the east of the country through expansion and enhancement of transit routes among countries situated in the northern part of the Indian Ocean and Central Asia. The hope is that with the development of transit routes, and better security and transit services, the benefits will reach the area residents.

Chabahar's economic sectors are fishery industries and commercial sector, fishery sectors with largest amount of country's fish catch, mainly located out of the Chabahar Free Trade-Industrial Zone. Growing commercial sector located at free trade area with high potentiality to turn to a place that would connect business growth centers in south Asia (India) and Middle East (Dubai) to central Asian and Afghanistan market. Government plan to link Chabahar free trade area to Iran's main rail network which is connected to central Asia and Afghanistan would provide more capability for Chabahar to foster faster logistics sector that is a basic to achieve better position comparing to its competitor (Pakistani port of Gwadar)


Chabahar Port a symbol of the new Iran-India strategic alliance

India is helping develop the Chabahar port and that would give it access to the oil and gas resources in Iran and the Central Asian states, in this it is competing with the Chinese which is building the Gwadar port, in Pakistani Baluchistan.

Iran plans to use Chabahar for transhipment to Afghanistan and Central Asia while reserving the port of Bandar Abbas as a major hub mainly for trade with Russia and Europe.

India, Iran and Afghanistan have signed an agreement to give Indian goods, heading for Central Asia and Afghanistan, preferential treatment and tariff reductions at Chabahar

Work on the Chabahar-Melak-Zaranj-Dilaram route from Iran to Afghanistan is in progress. Iran is with Indian aid upgrading the Chabahar-Melak road and constructing a bridge on the route to Zaranj. India's BRO is laying the 213-kilometer Zaranj-Dilaram road. It is a part of its USD 750 million aid package to Afghanistan.

The advantages that Chabahar has compared to Gwadar are the greater political stability and security of the Iranian hinterland and the hositlity and mistrust that the Pakistani Baluchis hold against the Punjabi dominated Pakistani Federal government. The Baluchis consider Sino-Pak initiative at Gwadar as a strategy from Islamabad to deny the province its deserved share of development pie. They also look with suspicion on the settlement of more and more non-Baluchis in the port area.

The Chabahar port project is Iran's chance to end its US sponsored economic isolation and benefit form the resurgent Indian economy. Along with Bandar Abbas, Chabahar is the Iranian entrepot on the North - South corridor. A strategic partnership between India, Iran and Russia to establish a multi-modal transport link connecting Mumbai with St. Petersburg. Providing Europe and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia access to Asia and vice-versa.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabahar
 

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Central Asia’s Seaport: Gwadar or Chabahar?

Both Iran and Pakistan have developed strategies to create strong economic and transport ties with Central Asia and beyond. Anchoring these strategies are two new seaports: Gwadar in Pakistan and Chabahar in Iran. Spreading out from these ports are existing or planned transportation infrastructure that leads into their respective country’s economic center and importantly for Central Asia, northwards. Both ports are well towards becoming fully operable and are offering generous incentives for companies and governments to do business in their ports. However, serious political, economic and logistical problems remain. For Central Asia one of these two ports, or indeed both, will likely become important links to world markets.



The problems with Karachi and Bandar Abbas

Karachi is already overburdened with severe congestion from commercial, fishing and military shipping. And from a strategic vantage point it is quite problematic. The Indian Navy targeted the port in 1971 and any blockade in the future would devastate Pakistan since that country has an overreliance on the port of Karachi. The port of Qasim, built in the 1970s was to relive some of that burden and the port of Gwadar is expected to further reduce the reliance on Karachi.

Bandar Abbas is of enormous strategic significance to Iran as it is located on the Strait of Hormuz leading into the Persian Gulf. But that is also a problem for Iran. The area is already burdened with high traffic and of course, the U.S. Navy. Iran wishes to have another port that is more conducive to trade and further growth.


Gwadar

Gwadar, being much further away from India than Karachi, makes obvious strategic sense. But it is its commercial potential that will provide the most benefits. Gwadar is not some long-term project. Its first phase, with 75% of the costs covered by the Chinese government, is already completed. The existing docks, built by the Chinese Harbor Engineering Company, are now being operated by Port of Singapore. Port of Singapore won the contract over Dubai Ports World, the company that was forced out of America by opportunistic xenophobes in both political parties there. Phase two will be completed by 2010, adding even more capacity. Ziad Haider, a researcher at the South Asia Program at the Henry L. Stimson Center, noted that Pakistan can make the project succeed if it maintains the financial and political support of China for the project and if it makes some concessions to the Baluchis near Gwadar, who have already carried out deadly attacks on Chinese engineers.

The problem with Gwadar, wrote Ammad Hassan in his thesis for the US Naval Postgraduate School, is that while the port has been built, “the supporting infrastructure of railroad link, industrial capacity, and civic structures at Gwadar is almost non-existent.” And of course, all analysts mention Pakistan’s extremely problematic relations with the ethnic Baluch in the area who, in addition to having been in a low-grade insurgency for some time, are not at all supportive of the port. And to understate another issue, southern Afghanistan is not quite ready to be a reliable transport corridor for Pakistan to access Central Asia, despite the Afghan government’s voiced support for the project. Nevertheless, the idea of further integrating Central Asian and Russian resources southward with the Asian and Middle Eastern market has others optimistic about the long-term prospects. The Asian Development Bank is somewhat cautious though, noting that initially the port will be significant only to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.


Chabahar

Gwadar’s competition for trade and transport will come from Chabahar, the new Indian-financed port in Iran. A port outside of the Persian Gulf makes sense from a strategic and logistical viewpoint for Iran. The port of Chabahar was part of a plan to develop transportation infrastructure in Iran’s east for many years. Initially put in hold in 1984 it was revived in 2002 with Indian help. And the financing and engineering assistance from India is not limited to the port. India, wishing to bypass Pakistan, is also cooperating on a highway system that leads from the port into Afghanistan as well as a planned railroad to Afghanistan. Iranian officials state that they wish to have Bandar Abbas remain as the port for Russian and European trade and have Chabahar become the port for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia. Iran already has good relations with everybody along the route leading north (including the local “warlords”) into Tajikistan. And significantly, it is in Tajikistan where Iran has already been financing several transport projects including the Anzob tunnel. And luckily for the Iranians, the U.S. constructed a bridge over the Amu Darya that fits in nicely with the Chabahar to Khojent route.


Prospects for economic integration of Central Asia with South Asia

For energy and mineral resources to be sent south from Central Asia a much more expensive transport infrastructure will be required than what is being built at the moment. Another limitation is the lack of a business friendly environment in most Central Asian states. And consumer goods are already entering Central Asia from Russia and China. What more is there a demand for? Furthermore, many Central Asian leaders are obsessed over local issues and haven’t been overly enthusiastic about regional integration (with Uzbekistan being the worst offender).

What is a long-term prospect is Central Asia being a transport route from the ports to Xinjiang, Russia and Kazakhstan, all of them important markets. The routes to Gwadar and Chabahar cut off thousands of kilometers for certain trade routes.


Strategic considerations

Any transportation or military problems in the Straits of Malacca, the Straits of Hormuz, the Suez or anywhere along Asia’s southern coastline will further boost the importance of Central Asia as a transport and trade corridor. Beyond Pakistan and Iran, both China and India are seeking closer relations with Afghanistan and Central Asia. The planned transport and trade routes will have the obvious effect of building solid ties. Iran’s considerations are boosting trade, having secure borders, and avoiding “encirclement” by American proxies (no matter how much a figment of the Iranian government’s imagination). As for Pakistan, the governments there has hoped for better relations with Central Asia. However, their Afghanistan policy always got in the way. Now they hope to move away from that era.


Conclusion

The countries of Central Asia will likely benefit from both Chabahar and Gwadar. Diversifying its import and export routes is a logical economic and political step. Although one should not exaggerate the economic benefits to be reaped. As for the competition between the two ports, it will not be a “winner take all” outcome but rather one port earning the greater share of trade. And the “winner” in this respect will likely be Chabahar, at least in the short term. Iran is more stable than Pakistan, it has better relations with Afghanistan and the Central Asian states, and unlike the Gwadar route its proposed route goes through relatively stable parts of Afghanistan. As long as Iran avoids outright conflict with the United States or any sort of domestic turmoil it should come out of this competition with an advantage.


http://www.registan.net/index.php/2007/08/20/central-asias-seaport-gwadar-or-chabahar/
 

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Reports of further investment and a consequential greater stake by India in the Chabahar port project:

India ready to invest in Chahbahar

PRESS TV | April 07, 2008



India is ready to invest in the petrochemical, tourism and information technology in Iran's Chahbahar FTZ, India's envoy to Iran says. Considering that the Chahbahar Free Trade Zone is in the process of completing the North-South development corridor, this region is important to India, Munbir Singh said in a meeting with the directors of the Chahbahar Free Trade Zone.

Various Indian teams are currently working to connect Delaram-Zaranj in Afghanistan to Iranian seaports via construction of a strategic road as well as a railroad to increase access to Central Asian markets, IRNA quoted him as saying. Exchange of information between the two sides can be helpful in introducing Chahbahar's potentialities to Indian investors, which would benefit both sides, he noted.

Vast energy reserves, scientific and technological advancements and a consumer market of over 70 million are some of Iran's attractions for Indian investors, the Indian ambassador said.

For his part, Mohammad Taher Baqerizadeh, managing director of the Chahbahar Free Trade Zone, said that given its unique strategic position, Chahbahar would go far in facilitating India's access to her target markets in Central Asia. He also called for the implementation of previously signed agreements between the two sides.

Iran is widely seen as a country of particular importance to India for the possibilities it can offer in terms of India's access to Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries, two theaters in which India seeks to project greater influence.
 

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The limping Gwadar port

Posted on 10 August 2009




The arrival and anchorage of first commercial cargo ship Al-Fahdah carrying 650 tons of dates at the Gwadar deep-sea port on July 22 indicated that the port can handle big cargo vessels. Presently, three berths are functional but significant issues in making the port fully operational have yet to be addressed.

‘There are two key issues in port operations: one is land connectivity and other is land acquisition’, said Khurram Abbas, director PSA Gwadar, while talking to this scribe on phone. He said, ‘the land under possession of Pakistan Navy and coast guards has not yet been handed over to the Singapore Port Authority (PSA) for development of free zone and other port-related infrastructure.’

‘Without port connectivity through rail and road links, goods cannot be transported to Afghanistan, the Central Asian States and other regional countries’, he added.

Abbas said, ‘we need land for the development of a free zone for the port related facilities at East Bay of Gwadar. Without land acquisition, the PSA is unable to develop offices, residential facilities, port back up area in the proposed free zone and provide the traders, industrialists, businessmen, shipping companies, stevedoring firms, transporters with all possible facilities for doing business at Gwadar’.

The ball is in government’s court to make the port fully functional. Under the concession agreement signed with PSA in February 2007, the government was committed to hand over 923 hectares of land to the Singaporean firm by June 2008 on lease for the development of a free zone. The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) is bound to acquire 350 hectares for ‘free zone area’ in addition to 584 acres in the possession of Pakistan Navy and 70 acres with the coast guards. .

Though 700 km long Makran Coastal Highway links Gwadar with Pasni, Ormara and Karachi, other regional linkages such as Gwadar-Ratodero motorway are yet to be completed. The motorway would link Gwadar with Indus Highway through districts of Turbat, Awaran and Khuzdar. Similarly, no progress has been made on the proposed rail link from Gwadar to Quetta and Zahidan.

Mekran coastal highway is the only link which is being used by a large number of trucks to transport urea and wheat from Gwadar to Karachi. In view of the port operations, which have boosted the trucking activity, the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) needs to build a truck stand in the port area.

In the absence of truck stand, vehicles are parked on roads and traffic congestion has emerged as a problem in the port area. The long-term solution would come after completion of East Bay Expressway project, which will ensure a smooth flow of vehicles and link the port to the National Highway network.

In this year’s budget, the federal government has earmarked a mere Rs30 million for East Bay Expressway project that would cost Rs3.77 billion, according to one estimate. Gwadar-Ratodero Road project, which will connect Gwadar port with the upcountry, is also facing financial crunch for its timely completion.

Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Khan Ghauri recently told the Senate that the Navy’s occupation of the land was adversely affecting the functioning of the port and could force its closure.

The federal government plans to establish a tax-free zone in the new port city of Gwadar for which transfer of 584-acre land to the Singaporean operator is a prerequisite.

Analysts fear that the Singaporean firm may ultimately go to the Arbitration Court in London, holding the government of Pakistan accountable for defaulting on its contractual obligations. The ministry of defence has refused a free-of-cost transfer of the said land to the GPA for the proposed free zone.

Pakistan Navy had acquired 584 acres of land with seafront from Balochistan government in 1980. On refusal of the Navy to hand over the land, the previous government decided that Pakistan Navy would hand over only 30 acres to GPA for developing the road-rail-link leading to the free zone at Gwadar port.

The defence ministry has been of the view that GPA has long enough waterfront available for mercantile needs and development of free zone. It believes that 584 acres of land with Pakistan Navy is essentially required for defence of maritime interests and for the protection of the port itself.

Another issue in making the port functional has been the delay in fixing the port tariff announced after the arrival of first vessel at Gwadar port in March 2008, a year after the ceremonial opening of the port in March 2008. Ship agents and cargo consultants have been waiting for the announcement of port tariff to start doing the business. ‘We have already fixed tariffs and port charges, which are available on our website,’ says Abbas.

Only a competitive tariff could attract shipping lines to discharge cargoes at Gwadar instead of cruising to Dubai and Karachi and leaving for the next port for loading.

Critics say that the project has been the victim of lethargy and an unprofessional approach. They argue that the port was not ready to start cargo handling at the time of its inauguration in March 2007, as the handling equipment including gantry cranes, post-panamic rubber-tyre cranes and fork lifters were not installed. The installation of the handling equipment took almost eight months. The operationalisation of the port was also delayed to December 2008.

The port began cargo handling from March 15, 2008 and was declared officially functional last December. Ships carrying urea and wheat have so far berthed at the port which can a handle cargo ships up to 0.25 million tons.


The limping Gwadar port | Gwadar City
 

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The Chabehar Port: Rites & Ircon of India, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Islamic Republic Railways (RAI)


Behesti Port,Bay#2, Chabahar, IRAN




Chabahar Port View




A 'lenj' near Chabahar port




Terminal 1




PRIMARY Entrance




Hotel Lalle




LIPAR View, From Bay, Chabahar, IRAN




GULF view From Bay




Darya Resturant View of Gulf




Namak Abrood enterance

 

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How does India thwart the gwadar military threat. Do we have berthing rights at chahbahar.
 

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How does India thwart the gwadar military threat. Do we have berthing rights at chahbahar.

The Zaranj-Delaram highway (already built) will provide Afghanistan a shorter route to the sea via the Iranian port of Chabahar, than is currently available through Pakistan. Iran is also building a new transit route to connect Milak in the southeast of the country to Zaranj in Afghanistan, and has already completed an important bridge over the Helmand River. In addition, the Zj-Dl highway lies on the main Herat-Kandahar road. The two projects will shorten the transit distance between Chabahar, in Iran, and Delaram, in Afghanistan, by over 600 kilometres. Now understand that this is considerably shorter than the thoroughfare distance between Delaram and the other closest port - Bandar-Abbas, or for that matter, Karachi (though which present NATO shipments occur), effectively providing Afghanistan a shorter route to the sea, via the Iranian port of Chabahar, than is currently available through Pakistan. Now, it is also important to remember that the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding signed between India, Iran and Afghanistan in 2003, specifically envisaged improving Afghanistan's connectivity to the coast. Therefore, despite aphoristic, and expected vehement denials by Iran over having anything to do with the ISF, it is not implausible to envisage a backroom deal where Iran agrees to let Chabahar be used as a conduit for their logistics in return for significant monetary and international political concessions.


What does this mean for India: India is to enjoy similar benefits as Afghanistan at Chabahar under the MoU. In exchange for free use of the Zaranj-Delaram highway for trade with Central Asia by Iran (and of course the technology, funding and materiels-personnel assistance for Chabahar itself), India is to enjoy significant concessions in terms of import duties and transit fees [Afghanistan is being granted duty-free access to the ports and a levy of the same transit fee that is applied to Iranian traders for using Iranian territory for transit purposes]; and warehouse and port charges [Afghan exporters get a 90% discount on port fees and 50% reduction in warehouse charges]. While Afghanistan gains superior access to realize its trade potential, India will be able to prevail over hurdles posed by Pakistan in refusing to allow the transit of Indian goods en route to Afghanistan. Additionally, India would also be able to obtain quicker access (of gas/hydrocarbons) to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.


Furthermore, India and Iran have also agreed to build a railroad from Chabahar to the Iranian Central Railway Station, thus creating a link to the Karachi-Tehran Railway line, which goes further westwards. Interestingly, the construction of Gwadar has already forced Karachi to reduce port charges at the Karachi port, due to competition, and Pakistani traders [not politicians] are already talking of possible preference with shipping lines to Chabahar, because of the Baloochi unrest in Pakistan.


What does this mean for the NATO: Currently, half of all US supplies passing through Pakistan are pilfered by motely groups of Taliban insurgents, petty thieves and traders, and are resold variegatedly in the goods markets in Peshawar. Significant, in light of the fact that almost 80% of all supplies for Afghanistan pass through Pakistan. With the coming 'surge' or the doubling of US troop numbers in Afghanistan to 60,000, this volume is set to register a quantum leap. Alternative agreements have been reached to move logistics in through the North with various central Asian states and Russia, but for a variety of reasons, these remain unstable and untenable. However, there is the alternative dialectic of Russian imperatives and disquiet over the proposed Caspian sea route [Georgia > Azerbaijaan > Kazakh harbor of Aktau > trans Uzbek territory > Amu Darya > northern Afghanistan, which itself remains very expensive and unfeasible] and the decade-long struggle for the region's hydrocarbon reserves. Which implies that a second alternative route must be made handy: which could well be, if the price be right, the Iranian port of Chabahaar.


The US will also figure the following in its calculus:

- dissimulate and deconcentrate power in the region to realize Iranian ambitions in the region on a limited scale, in conformity with co-opting Iran to keep calm the western, northern and central hemispheres of Afghanistan, while the US focuses on pacifying the south and southeastern provinces.

- leverage Iranian opposition and antagonism to the Taliban and extremist groups like Jondollah in pakistan to evince Irani cooperation.

- to breathe down Karazai's neck, who is loathe to hand over power, is actively wooing the Russians and Iranians and is not averse to giving space to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to toe the line [I believe the recent fracas in Afghanistan with Abdulla Abdulla, the elections, the vituperative and volatile situation and his inexplicable withdrawal was part of the plan].

- leverage India's particular influence in Iran (and we have a lot of it) to ensure the longevity of port transit and supply routes.​
 

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This is somewhat important news:


Gwadar Port News: Cabinet likely to approve revised Gwadar Port Authority Bill today

October 7th, 2009

Cabinet likely to approve revised Gwadar Port Authority Bill today

MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN

ISLAMABAD (October 07 2009): The Cabinet, which is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, is likely to approve revised Gwadar Port Authority’s (GPA) structure by replacing the Chairman and members of the Board with non-executive professionals, with the objective of placing "more skilled" people at the helm, official sources told Business Recorder. The proposal was part of the agenda of Cabinet meeting held on September 28, 2009, but due to paucity of time, it did not come under consideration, sources added.

According to details, a summary was submitted to the Cabinet on May 14, 2008 by the Ministry of Ports and Shipping. The Cabinet deferred consideration of ‘Gwadar Port Authority’s revised Bill for new corporate structure of the port’ till a thorough examination was completed by a committee which comprised of Ministers for Ports and Shipping, Finance, Law and Justice, one Minister from Balochistan and Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission.

The committee in its meeting on July 2, 2008, thoroughly examined the Bill, advised amendments in it, and directed the Ministry of Ports and Shipping to submit the revised Bill to the Ministry of Law for vetting. Sources said that the Bill, finalised by the committee and vetted by Law Ministry, was submitted to the Cabinet Division for consideration, along with the findings and recommendations of the committee, through a Summary on December 16, 2008.

However, the summary was returned by the Cabinet Division on December 23, 2008 with advice for fresh consultation with all stakeholders and vetting from Law Ministry. Accordingly, the views of the Ministries/Divisions concerned as well as from the Balochistan government were obtained on the Bill afresh.

Sources said there is a wide range of opinion among different Ministries and Divisions over the revised provisions of the GPA’s Bill, which are being placed before the Cabinet for its verdict. Under the Bill, the Chairman and Members of the Board will be non-executive professional people, without any executive function or responsibility.

The responsibility for management of all affairs of the Authority will rest with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Authority, to be appointed under section 34 of the Bill. The CEO will also act as co-opted Member of the Board and will report to the non-executive Chairman and the Board on all matters including those delegated by him to the subordinate officers in the Authority. Besides the revised Bill, the Ministry of Ports and Shipping will also give a detailed presentation to the Cabinet on the affairs of the GPA.

Other important proposals which are expected to be approved by the Cabinet are: Net Hydel Profit (NHP) to Punjab government in respect of hydroelectric station located in Punjab and a proposal of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR); approval in principle to start negotiations between Pakistan and Hungary for an agreement for the establishment of Joint Economic Commission (JEC), approval in principle for grant of autonomous status to Pakistan Academy of Letters, amendments in the Companies Ordinance, 1984, amendments to the Anti Money Laundering Ordinance 2007,amendments in the Chartered Accountants Ordinance, 1961, amendment in Seed Act, 1976, approval of the Pakistan Health Research Council Bill, 2009, ratification of United Nations Convention against transnational organised crime, approval for ratification of extradition treaty between Pakistan and Libya, amendment in Sub-section (2) of Section 35-a of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, National Child Protection Policy, National Commission on the Rights of Children Bill, 2009, Child Protection (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2009 and draft Bill for restructuring/ reorganisation of Federal Statistical System of Pakistan are the some of the proposals, which are most likely to be discussed for approval. Sources said that discussion on Kerry Lugar Bill, law and order situation, forthcoming bye-elections, and power load shedding would also be held.


Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]
Gwadar Port News: Cabinet likely to approve revised Gwadar Port Authority Bill today | DHA Lahore Pakistan Bahria Town Map Plots For Sale Property Prices

Tags: Property, Pakistan Property News, Gwadar Port, Chart, Pakistan, Gwadar, Islamabad, Gwadar Port Authority, GPA, Pakistan Property, Gwadar Pakistan


x-x-x-x


‘Shape up Gwadar Port or it’ll ship out’

KARACHI: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nauman Bashir has urged for the fast development of Gwadar Port to be recognised as internationally operational port. He was talking to media members on the deck of 'PNS Nasr' after successful conclusion of the biennial naval exercise "Seaspark 2009."
He said from the very beginning Pakistan Navy was interested in developing this port since it was a strategic area for traffic of the world oil. But unfortunately till today this port had not become fully operational due to lack of communication infrastructure and weak road network.
He urged that port-operator which is a foreign company (Singapore Port Authority) should do something to bring this port fast operational. On the other hand government should also give priority to develop this region.
Replying to a question the CNS said Pakistan Navy has never opposed the idea for running ferry service between Karachi and Gwadar ports.
To another question he denied news that he had proposed for establishment of a joint maritime security agency with India to avoid Mumbai-like terrorist attacks in future.
The CNS said he had suggested the government to bring all the local maritime organisations like MSA, PNSC, Coast Guards, KPT, PQA, and Gwadar Port Authority under one umbrella to fight war against terrorism for the safety of Pakistani waters. Commenting on "SEASPARK 2009" Exercise he said it was a test of Pakistan Navy for its war preparedness and capability. Indian ambitions are already increasing in this region.


?Shape up Gwadar Port or it?ll ship out? - News
 

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Ship hits Gwadar Port berth

By: Maqbool Malik | Published: August 28, 2009


Islamabad- Roll On-Roll Off (RO-RO) berth, one of the three sole berths of Pakistan’s first deep-sea Gwadar Port, is feared to have been structurally damaged on August 17 while hidden efforts are afoot to hush up the matter, sources told TheNation on Thursday.

Sources said the RO-RO berth was hit and damaged when a Panama flagged merchant ship Sheng Meng Hong 7 was being shifted from berth 1 to 3 to discharge imported fertilizer consignment at 1930 Hours PST.

Sources were of the view that the mysterious ship collision had caused serious structural damage to the blocks supporting piles of the said jetty, besides partial damage to its Centre Line, including the horizontal fenders. So far the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) has ordered no expert inspection to assess the losses.
However when contacted Secretary Ports and Shipping Muhammad Saleem Khan conceded the occurrence of collision and requested this scribe to approach Gwadar Port Authority (GPA).

When approached, a senior GPA official told TheNation that the GPA had already reported the matter to Director General Ports and Shipping on August 21, and he had ordered the MMD department to conduct a preliminary investigation into the matter. GPA sources further said that the ill-fated ship was still under detention and would remain so till the matter was resolved once for all.


Ship hits Gwadar Port berth | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online
 

musalman

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Charbahar or Gawadar the biggest loser in this case will be Omani who sold these both areas to Pakistan and Iran in 50s
 

icecoolben

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I'm not sure right now, if iran is truly our partner on strategic affairs like afghanistan. For one
1.they are involved straight to the northern alliance military warlords than the afghan government.
2.afghan fears infiltration from iran of possible taliban fighters.
3.if it goes nuclear, it might turn out to be a second pakistan due to islamic extremism.
4.under obligations we are required to check north korean ships en-route to iran, will iran give berth to this aggressor navy.
5.our trade with iran is mostly done through indirect means like through uae, oman, qatar and pakistan due to sanctions, in these lights will the duty free access be of any significance.
6.all the present cooperation going on were signed, initiated during the katami regime and all deals to develop oil fields , exports for 30 years for lng and ipi pipeline are all stuck signed during the present president's previous tenure have gotten stuck. So will v have any part of chabahar development pie for the next 4 years of his tenure.
thus even though everything looks rosy on paper, hard realities of present circumstances have to be taken into account as well.

Had they taken us for suckers to develop the port and left us sobbing? Any extremist government would respect military prowness- but this situation demands not an american strategy of sanctions, but an out of box solution.

had iran be given a free run to influence the situation in afghanistan using its contiguous land borders, it would lead to further instability. To counter this strength, we should step up maritime military cooperation with countries like oman, qatar, bahrain aggressively and initiate low level military diplomacy with uae, saudi . By creating a counter pressure point in oman, we can divert iran's attention from afghan and iraq to a strong growing power in its soft under-belly which has the capability to blockade iran's trade in times of crisis. They would know then that they cannot take india for granted and this would immediately prompt a re-concilation with india on grounds of security and strategic imperatives. From this point on our diplomats have to slug it out hard at the bargainig table
1.to ensure our economic imperatives at chahbahar including duty free access to central asia,lng supply from a pipe-line that supplies gas from the caspian to the iranian port from where our tankers can take them to gujarat, rajastan refineries, with minimal transit fee. A transit to afghan on our terms.
2. A joint allied approach toward the security situation of afghanistan.
3. IPI on terms favouring our interests than paki or iran. With iran providing military base in case paki stopped supply and v needed to recover and supply routes urgently.
4. Rewarding of indian firms gas blocks on friendly terms without biddings that would be essential to supply IPI
5. Induction of india on a tier-1 level of partnership as russia regarding its nuclear programme and requesting india to be the prime verification body that is authorised for round the clock vigilance on iranian nuclear installations and report to iaea.

the means i've suggested may seem insignificant but its not the weapon but the skill of the one who wields it that decides the outcome. So,It is highly practical and doable. The thron that is bound to crop up is Us insistance to abide by international obligations, which india should do well to endure till its strategic targets are met.
 

Rage

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Govt urged to scrap Gwadar port deal - LMFAO


The presentation said, “The government and the Port of Singapore Authority
are in default of commitments. No commercial vessel has arrived at Gwadar
port in three years and there is no possibility of any docking there for many
years.” – Photo by APP.



ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission’s task force on maritime industry has urged the government to cancel the deal with the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) to operate the Gwadar port.

According to a presentation before Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali, the Gwadar port project is a disaster, as the 40-year concession agreement with the PSA has not yielded any results in its first three years.

“The government and the PSA are in default of commitments. No commercial vessel (has) arrived at Gwadar port in three years and there is no possibility of any (docking there) for many years.”

The task force said the port would be made approachable by road in four years, and a rail link would take between 15 and 20 years.

A rail network that could connect the port with Afghanistan, and through Afghanistan, with Central Asian Republics and China, in addition to cities and towns in Pakistan, was badly needed.

The task force said that goods from 72 ships had been unloaded at the port at a rate of Rs2,000 per ton, which translated into a revenue of about Rs220 million for the PSA.

According to the presentation, the government was to purchase 2,281 acres of land on the waterfront for the PSA. This land was to be given to the port operator for 40 years.

“But purchasing the land does not seem possible because doing so would cost at least Rs15 billion,” said the task force. “And without this land, the PSA is unwilling to invest.”

The PSA had undertaken to spend $525 million in five years, but nothing was spent in the last three years. The PSA was not likely to invest even in the next two years, said the task force.

The concession agreement could be revisited. The best option would be to cancel the agreement, said the task force.

If this happened, a penalty of only $8-10 million would have to be paid. Negotiations with the port operator could be initiated on this issue, said the task force.

The use of three berths at the port was the best alternative, according to the presentation.

Building infrastructure was vital for attracting investments in areas like petroleum storage and refining, oil field-related equipment, construction and fabrication.

The concept of a logistics port should be introduced with appropriate industries, using the only Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll-off) berth in Pakistan, said the task force.

If Gwadar was to be used for government cargos, “trans-shipment to Karachi should be considered”. With the existing berth structure, according to the presentation, there “is no possibility of the … port achieving break even and the government will have to subsidise it for many years”.

The Balochistan government was opposed to the concession agreement with PSA because the Baloch people were not gaining anything from it, said the task force.

The port would not be viable for transshipment or transit until the law and order situation in Afghanistan improved and China was connected via road and rail links with Gwadar, according to the presentation.

The task force pointed out that no facility for supporting the oil industry existed even though the port was on the mouth of Gulf. “Due to this, Pakistan is unable to attract investment in Gwadar from Gulf countries … in the oil and gas sector”.


DAWN.COM | Front Page | Govt urged to scrap Gwadar port deal
 

Ritwik

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According to a presentation before Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali, the Gwadar port project is a disaster, as the 40-year concession agreement with the PSA has not yielded any results in its first three years.deal
Ah well, it seems the Chinese got what they wanted [a supply and refueling station on the arabian sea] while the padosis got screwed :twizt:
 

jamesbaig007

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KARACHI: The Gwadar Port that was envisioned to become a trans-shipment port and shipping hub for the landlocked Central Asian States (CAS), Afghanistan and Western China may lose this opportunity to the fast developing Iranian port of Chabahar, a Gwadar Port official said.
The Gwadar Port is yet to become fully operational. The running of the port affairs was given to Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), one of the biggest port operators, so that it will fetch considerable business for making Gwadar Port a success.
The PSA has not fulfilled its business plan of making the port fully operational by 2008. The PSA says the government has failed to provide basic infrastructure including road and rail links that are the main impediments in Gwadar Port development
 

pmaitra

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Wasn't India building a railway line connecting Chabahar with Afghanistan? Isn't India planning to use this railway line to supply aid to Iran-Afghanistan border, whence the Zaranj-Delaram road (completed by India) would be used to ship the aid to Kabul? Sounds like that railway line project is complete. No wonder Chabahar is getting such attention.
 

pmaitra

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India push to new Iran port for access to Afghanistan

India push to new Iran port for access to Afghanistan

Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, New Delhi, July 26, 2010, India Today

India is keen to expedite the development of Iran's Chabahar port, which will give the country direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, without needing to go through Pakistan.

The port's strategic significance also lies in the fact that it is barely 72 km away from Pakistan's deep-sea Gwadar port, which has been built with Chinese assistance.

The issue on speeding up the work on the port was raised during the 16th Indo-Iran Joint Commission meeting held in the Capital on July 8-9.

During the meeting, which was attended by Iranian finance minister Seyed Shamseddin Hosseini and our external affairs minister S. M. Krishna, India pointed out that Iran's assistance in developing the Chabahar port has been slow till now, sources said.

The urgency on India's part was visible in foreign secretary Nirupama Rao's speech ahead of meeting.

"There is a need for accelerating our joint efforts to fully realise the potential of the Chabahar port. This is a project that is in the common interest of not only India, Iran and Afghanistan, but also Central Asia," she said.

New Delhi, Tehran and Kabul have signed an agreement to give Indian goods, heading for Central Asia and Afghanistan, preferential treatment and tariff reductions at Chabahar.

The port is critical for India's Afghan engagement-serving as India's entry point to Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond, bypassing Pakistan.

India has already built the Zaranj-Delaram road in Afghanistan's Nimroz province, which will connect to the Chabahar port via Milak.

Iran is, with financial aid from India, upgrading the Chabahar- Milak road and constructing a bridge on the route to Zaranj.

Chabahar is located on the Makran coast of Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province and is designated a free trade and industrial zone by Tehran.

Sources said the Chabahar-Milak-Zaranj-Delaram highway will open up the Indian market to Afghan agricultural products and other exports.

It will also help combat the scourge of illicit drugs production and export and assist the trade, transport and transit network of Iran.

New Delhi will be able to transport its goods, including humanitarian supplies, to Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond.

The importance of the port has enhanced amid Islamabad's efforts to reinstate pro-Pakistan Taliban factions such as the Haqqani network at Kabul's power structure, sources said.

The gathering momentum in Pakistan- supported Taliban reintegration process has boosted Indo-Iran ties as New Delhi contemplates regional arrangement to match Taliban resurgence.

With Islamabad yet again refusing to offer transit rights to Delhi at a recent meeting, operationalisation of the Chabahar port has become all the more important.

For India, the location of the Chabahar port has yet another strategic significance. Gwadar is just 72 km from the Iranian border.

China has developed a presence in the region by assisting the development of the deep- sea Gwadar port, which is part of Pakistan's Balochistan province.

China's involvement in the Gwadar project is immense.

Experts said its presence in Gwadar provides China with a " listening post", where it can monitor US naval activity in the Persian Gulf, Indian activity in the Arabian Sea and future USIndian maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean.

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/S...-new-iran-port-for-access-to-afghanistan.html
 

nitesh

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It will be wise if US teams up with India, tones down rhetoric against Iran and start using Chabbar port bypassing pakistan. Will be a win win situation.
 

pmaitra

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It will be wise if US teams up with India, tones down rhetoric against Iran and start using Chabbar port bypassing pakistan. Will be a win win situation.
Yes, that is quite true. The US seems to be obsessed with Iran. They (Iran) aren't even one-tenth as bad as Pakistan. Yet, they (US) keep bailing out Pakistan with stacks of greenback while pestering and needling Iran at every given moment. One good thing India did this time was tell Obama and his retinue, that India shall decide how it wants to deal with Iran and US interference is not appreciated.
 
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