A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has welcomed the Maersk Karachi container vessel at the South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT) for the first time on the recently updated FI3 ocean service.
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 per cent quicker transit times.
According to Maersk, 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 reportedly 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, reported Maersk.
The FI3 service follows the rotation Qingdao – Xingang – Busan – Tanjung Pelepas – Port Klang – Jawaharlal Nehru – Pipavav – Karachi (SAPT) – Mundra – Colombo – Port Klang – Singapore.
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“Our commitment to Pakistan only gets stronger as we welcome our Maersk Karachi vessel here at Karachi Port today,” said Hasan Faraz Managing Director, Maersk Pakistan.
“Our ambition is to ensure that we curate solutions that enable our customers to participate in global trade in the most competitive manner.
“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.
This month, Maersk also inked an agreement with Kumho Tyre, one of the world’s major tyre producers.
More recently, Maersk officially welcomed the German sportswear brand PUMA to its warehouse near Rijeka, Croatia.
