EXCLUSIVE: Van Oord’s TSHD Rotterdam kicks off Karachi dredging program

Pakistan’s Maritime Minister, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, said that the dredging works on the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) main channel, undertaken by Karachi Gateway Terminal (Private) Ltd (KGTL), are now underway.

In its official statement, the minister said that this dredging program follows a formal agreement between KPT and KGTL aimed at enhancing navigational capacity and meeting rising international shipping demand.

“This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to modernizing port facilities and bolstering Pakistan’s role in regional and global trade. Upon completion within three months, the project will enable KPT to accommodate vessels up to 350 meters in length with a gross registered tonnage (GRT) of 100,000,” Chaudhry said.

The Karachi dredging work will be conducted by Van Oord’s trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Rotterdam.

According to KPT, the dredging project is set to deepen the upper and lower Harbor channels to 14 meters for safer navigation, while 14 berths will be raised to 15.5 meters to accommodate larger ships and expand cargo-handling capabilities.