Port Qasim
Port Authority
Port Qasim sits 35 kilometres east of Karachi Port and handles a broad mix of container, bulk and liquid cargo. Below: the terminals operating inside it, and how Maalbardaar clears cargo through each one.
Facilities operating here
About Port Qasim
Port Qasim was built to add deep-water capacity to Karachi’s port system, sitting at Bin Qasim on Phitti Creek roughly 35 kilometres east of Karachi Port. It operates under its own authority, Port Qasim Authority, entirely separate from Karachi Port Trust — a distinction that matters operationally, since cargo routed to one port does not pass through the other’s gates, customs desks or terminal systems.
Where Karachi Port is now dominated by container terminals, Port Qasim carries a noticeably broader cargo mix: alongside Qasim International Container Terminal and a general Multi-Purpose Terminal, the port hosts Pakistan International Bulk Terminal, an oil terminal operated by FOTCO, a chemical terminal run by Engro Vopak, and dedicated grain and fertiliser handling facilities. That diversity reflects Port Qasim’s role in Pakistan’s broader industrial and energy supply chains, not just its container trade.
The approach channel to Port Qasim runs roughly 49 kilometres and supports vessels up to around 13 metres draft in places — sufficient for the container ships calling at QICT, though the channel’s length is itself a meaningful part of transit planning for vessels calling here.
Port Qasim: what to know before you ship
It is a genuinely separate port from Karachi Port, not a district or extension of it. Confirm which port your booking actually names — the two are 35 kilometres apart with entirely separate authorities, terminals and customs arrangements.
SAPT is not here, despite what the name suggests. South Asia Pakistan Terminals sounds like it could sit alongside Port Qasim’s other terminals, but it is a Karachi Port facility. Port Qasim Authority’s own facilities listing confirms SAPT is not among the terminals operating here.
Cargo mix is broader than container-only. If you are used to thinking of Port Qasim purely as a container port because of QICT, note that a large share of its traffic is bulk, liquid and industrial cargo through separate dedicated terminals — relevant if you are trying to understand overall port congestion or scheduling from published throughput figures.
The approach channel is long. At roughly 49 kilometres, transit time into and out of Port Qasim is a real factor in vessel scheduling, distinct from the time spent alongside the berth itself.
Clearing and forwarding cargo through Port Qasim
Customs clearance
Our licensed clearing agents file your Goods Declaration through WeBOC and Pakistan Single Window for cargo moving through Port Qasim, with HS code classification handled up front to reduce assessment delays and demurrage risk.
Customs clearance services arrow_forwardFreight forwarding
Whether your shipment is arriving by sea or air, we coordinate the booking, inland pickup and CFS/CY delivery so cargo destined for Port Qasim lands where it needs to be — and moves on schedule once it clears.
Freight forwarding services arrow_forwardPort Qasim questions
What is Port Qasim Authority?
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The government authority responsible for Port Qasim, Pakistan's second major deep-water port, located at Bin Qasim on Phitti Creek, roughly 35 kilometres east of Karachi Port. Like Karachi Port Trust, it does not operate terminals directly — those are run by separate concessionaires.
Which terminals operate at Port Qasim?
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Several, including Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT), a Multi-Purpose Terminal, Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT), FOTCO's oil terminal, Engro Vopak's chemical terminal, and dedicated grain and fertiliser handling. South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT) is not among them, despite the similar naming to other South Asian port facilities — SAPT is at Karachi Port.
How far is Port Qasim from Karachi Port?
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Roughly 35 kilometres east. They are two entirely separate port authorities with their own terminals, gate systems and customs arrangements — cargo routed to one will not pass through the other.
Can large vessels reach Port Qasim?
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The approach channel runs about 49 kilometres and accommodates vessels up to around 13 metres draft in places, which supports the large container ships calling at QICT alongside the bulk and liquid cargo traffic the port also handles.
Does Port Qasim only handle containers?
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No — it handles a broader mix than Karachi Port, including oil, chemicals, grain, fertiliser and general bulk cargo alongside containerised freight through QICT and the Multi-Purpose Terminal.
Does Maalbardaar handle customs clearance at Port Qasim?
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Yes. Our licensed clearing agents file Goods Declarations through WeBOC and Pakistan Single Window for cargo arriving at any terminal within Port Qasim, and we coordinate freight forwarding into and out of the port as part of the same booking.
Shipping through Port Qasim?
Get a quote for customs clearance and freight forwarding through this facility, handled by a licensed local team.
Shipping through somewhere other than Port Qasim?
Ports
Operators
Maalbardaar provides customs clearance and freight forwarding services for cargo moving through Port Qasim. We are not affiliated with Port Qasim Authority (PQA) or with the operator or authority of this facility, and this page is independent, informational content rather than an official listing. For official information, visit Port Qasim's own website . Facility data sources: Port Qasim Authority's own site (pqa.gov.pk) for berth count, location and the facilities list, including the confirmation that South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT) is NOT among the facilities operating at Port Qasim, despite its name. Founding year and a single current-year cargo throughput figure could not be confirmed — historical throughput figures from different years conflict and none was recent enough to state as current, so both are omitted rather than guessed.