Ship chandlers & ship supply at Karachi PKKHI

Karachi Port is governed by the Karachi Port Trust, whose board is a Chairman — appointed by the Federal Government and also the Trust’s Chief Executive — and ten trustees, five from the public and five from the private sector. KPT lists 37 dry-cargo berths and 3 liquid-cargo jetties, with capacity of about 125 million tonnes and 4.65 million TEU including the three private container terminals.^[1,3]

—Three wharves: East (17 berths), West (13 berths) and South (4 berths), each with a dedicated container terminal at 13–16 m depth, plus three oil piers. Liquid bulk is also worked at Berths 1, 2 and 24.^[2,3]

—Container terminals: KGTL on East Wharf (Berths 6–9, LOA 305 m, 13 m draught); KICT on West Wharf (Berths 26–30, LOA 340 m, 13 m), operating since 1998; and SAPT on South Wharf, Hutchison Ports Pakistan’s terminal at the deep-water container port — 1,500 m of quay in four 375 m berths, 16 m alongside (which may be deepened to 18 m), on a 25-year BOT concession extendable by 25 years.^[6,8,7,4]

—Oil piers OP-1 to OP-3 take ships up to 259 m LOA, 44 m beam and 75,000 DWT, at 12.25–13 m draught depending on pier and direction.^[6]

—Volume: in FY2024-25 the port handled 53.951 million tonnes (41.675 Mt dry, 12.276 Mt liquid) and 2.651 million TEU, the highest of the five years KPT shows; vessel movements rose 11% to 1,969.^[4,5]

The Fairway K light buoy lies 4.5 NM from Manora Breakwater; the 040° leading lights take ships about 5 miles north-east through a buoyed, dredged channel to the harbour entrance (IALA Region A). KPT aims to maintain 16.0 m in the approach channel and the Tipu Sultan Channel and deep-water port basin, and 12.0 m in the Lower and Upper Harbour, noting siltation during the south-west monsoon.^[1]

—Pilotage is compulsory for merchant vessels of 200 GT or more, day and night subject to tide, length and draught. Pilots board in the vicinity of the Fairway K buoy (24°43.41′N 066°55.78′E per the manual’s pilotage section). Extra pilots are required for large ships — two to swing ships over 240 m, three over 269.5 m.^[1]

—Port control is Manora Pilot Control on VHF 12 and 16; ships keep a listening watch on channel 12 inside port limits. ETA and draught go to the port 48 hours before arrival through the agent, and arrival at the anchorage is reported with name, flag, cargo and position.^[1]

—Outer anchorage: from September to May ships may anchor off the harbour outside prohibited areas in no less than 9 m (12 m or more in April–May), in positions assigned by Manora Control. The manual warns against anchoring off Karachi during the south-west monsoon, when “several ships have lost anchors and cables”; anchoring is prohibited within 5 miles south-west of Manora Breakwater.^[1]

—Large ships: SAPT gives 14 m in all weather and 16 m only at the top of high water. Ships over 305 m LOA send their ETA 7 days ahead and need prior approval; ships of 290 m and above are swung in daylight only. Ships drawing more than the sanctioned depth are not allowed in.^[6]

—Bunkers: Pakistan opened its bunkering market at Karachi in November 2025, when the Ministry of Maritime Affairs announced standardised bunkering operations; Dawn reported the first supply was by Vitol’s barge, offering MGO, HFO and VLSFO. A bunkering work permit is applied for through the shipping agent to the Deputy Conservator. A draft FBR notification of June 2026 (Customs Marine Bunkering Rules) would require operators to hold a Mercantile Marine Department licence registered with customs and would cover the outer anchorage — it is a draft, not yet final law.^[11,12,1,10]

—Fresh water: potable and boiler water at the wharves or by barge, which KPT warns may be limited to 200 tonnes or less in the seasonal shortage between May and August. SAPT runs its own reverse-osmosis plant for potable water at the terminal.^[1,7]

—MARPOL waste: reception is provided through a private contractor licensed by KPT and monitored by its Marine Pollution Control Department. The provider, registered with KPT, files the request with the agent’s nomination letter and an Advance Notification Form; work is daylight only unless a written night request is endorsed, a KPT fire tender attends, and a Waste Delivery Receipt is issued. Garbage and sludge can be taken at berth and at anchor.^[9,1]

—Provisions, stores and spares are arranged commercially through your agent and local suppliers. Post a requirement and suppliers serving Karachi answer with sealed bids; suppliers never see the vessel’s name until award. If you serve ships at Karachi, activate Karachi.