GWADAR PORT

GWADAR PORT

Gwadar Port is the third port of Pakistan - Karachi and Port Qasim being the other two. Gwadar borders on Arabian Sea and lies in the Balochistan Province. It is about 533 km from Karachi and 120 km from the Iranian border. Gwadar Port is located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and outside the Straits of Hormuz. It is near the key shipping routes used by the mainline vessels in the region with connections to Africa, Asia and Europe and enjoys high commercial and strategic significance.
Various professional studies manifest that Gwadar Port location is the most advantageous one as an alternative port, which could handle mother ships and large oil tankers in due course.
It will act as catalyst for large number of related projects like:-

• Trans-shipment of bulk cargo
• Oil storage, refinery and petrochemicals
• Export processing and industrial zones
• Export of minerals/livestock
• Services (hotels, accommodation, tourism)

PURPOSE

The purpose of developing this port is to stimulate economic growth in the western and northern parts of Pakistan, utilizing the available coastline resources of the country and also providing an outlet for the land locked Central Asian Countries and Afghanistan through transit trade and offering transshipment facilities.

GWADAR DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHY

Gwadar/Ormara/Pasni/Jiwani
Geographic Area – 12.637 sq. Coast Line – 600 km District Estimated Population 2004 – 215,000 Male / Female Ratio – 53.6 : 46.4 km. Population Density – 14.7 person per sq.km Population of Gwadar – estimated 72,000 Literacy Ratio – around 29% Land Distances From Gwadar

• Quetta 970 Km
• Turbat 164 Km
• Gabd 120 Km
• Karachi 533 Km
• Ratodero 892 Km

Gwadar has a small airport which is basically meant for fokker aircraft. The need is growing for the expansion of this airport and enlargement of its runway to facilitate the landing of wide body aero-planes. CAA has been directed to upgrade the Gwadar Airport for the landing of Airbuses by the end of 2004. Gwadar port will be open air and after its inauguration the jet planes shall be landing at the Gwadar airport. A sum of 2.3 million dollars is being utilized from Omani grant. The Pakistan government and the Civil Aviation Authority are also contributing additional Rs563.35 million for this purpose.