KGTL
Container Terminal
Karachi Gateway Terminal took over Karachi Port's East Wharf berths from PICT in 2023 and is now dredging deeper for larger ships. Here's what to expect clearing cargo through it, and how Maalbardaar handles it end to end.
About KGTL
Karachi Gateway Terminal is the newest name on Karachi Port’s East Wharf, and also one of the more consequential changes to the port’s operator landscape in recent years. When Pakistan International Container Terminal’s 21-year build-operate-transfer concession with Karachi Port Trust expired on 17 June 2023, the same five berths — numbered 6 through 10 — were handed to Karachi Gateway Terminal (Private) Limited five days later, on 22 June 2023, under a new 50-year concession.
KGTL is a joint venture between AD Ports Group, the Abu Dhabi-based ports and logistics operator, and Kaheel Terminals. The new operator inherited an 800-metre quay wall with five berths and has since announced a dredging project to deepen the berths from the current 13.5 metres to between 13 and 15.5 metres — a move explicitly aimed at letting the terminal handle larger container vessels than PICT’s infrastructure was built for. Alongside the dredging, capacity is expected to grow from 750,000 TEU per year today toward a targeted 1 million TEU per year.
There is a related but distinct entity worth not confusing with KGTL: Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose (Private) Limited, or KGTML, which handles bulk and general cargo rather than containers.
KGTL: what to check before you ship
If your paperwork says PICT, it now means KGTL. The concession changed hands in June 2023, and older shipping instructions, freight quotes or customs documentation referencing PICT describe the same physical berths now operated under a different name. Confirm which company’s current systems and gate procedures actually apply before you show up.
Depth is mid-upgrade. Current draft alongside is 13.5 metres, with dredging underway to reach as much as 15.5 metres. If you are booking a larger vessel into KGTL, confirm current depth against the vessel’s requirements rather than assuming the upgraded figure already applies — it is a project in progress, not yet complete.
Don’t confuse KGTL with KGTML. The similar name belongs to a separate multipurpose bulk/general cargo terminal, not the container facility.
Online tracking exists here, unlike some neighbouring terminals. KGTL’s own site lists container tracking among its e-services, which is a genuine convenience if you need a quick status check outside of your carrier’s system.
Clearing and forwarding cargo through KGTL
Customs clearance
Our licensed clearing agents file your Goods Declaration through WeBOC and Pakistan Single Window for cargo moving through KGTL, 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 KGTL lands where it needs to be — and moves on schedule once it clears.
Freight forwarding services arrow_forwardKGTL questions
Is KGTL the same as PICT?
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They occupy the same berths, but they are different operating companies. PICT's 21-year concession with Karachi Port Trust ended on 17 June 2023, and Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited — a joint venture between AD Ports Group and Kaheel Terminals — took over the East Wharf berths five days later. If your documentation references PICT, the physical location is now operated as KGTL.
Who operates KGTL?
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A joint venture between AD Ports Group, based in Abu Dhabi, and Kaheel Terminals, under a 50-year concession with Karachi Port Trust signed in 2023.
How many berths does KGTL have?
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Five berths, numbered 6 through 10, on Karachi Port's East Wharf, with an 800-metre quay wall.
Can KGTL take large container vessels?
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Current depth alongside is 13.5 metres. A dredging project is underway to deepen berths to between 13 and 15.5 metres, which would let the terminal accommodate larger vessels than it currently can.
Does KGTL offer online container tracking?
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Yes — kgtl.com.pk lists online tracking as one of its e-services, alongside online billing, vessel schedules and a documentation portal.
What is KGTL's TEU capacity?
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750,000 TEU per year at current capacity, with an expansion plan targeting 1 million TEU per year once the dredging and terminal upgrade works are complete.
Does Maalbardaar clear customs for shipments at KGTL?
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Yes. Our licensed clearing agents file Goods Declarations through WeBOC and Pakistan Single Window for cargo discharged at KGTL, and we coordinate freight forwarding for cargo destined there as part of the same booking.
Shipping through KGTL?
Get a quote for customs clearance and freight forwarding through this facility, handled by a licensed local team.
Shipping through somewhere other than KGTL?
Operators
Maalbardaar provides customs clearance and freight forwarding services for cargo moving through KGTL. We are not affiliated with Karachi Gateway Terminal (Private) Limited — a joint venture of AD Ports Group and Kaheel Terminals 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 KGTL's own website . Facility data sources: KGTL's own site (kgtl.com.pk), which lists "Online Tracking" among its e-services. Operator structure and East Wharf berth 6–10 location confirmed there and corroborated by AD Ports Group's own press coverage of the concession and dredging project. The 22 June 2023 takeover date and the preceding PICT concession end date of 17 June 2023 are consistent across kgtl.com.pk and independent reporting.