ISLAMABAD: Both the terminals; chemical handling terminal and LNG terminal, at Port Qasim Karachi are considered as the best performing units.
Ministry of Ports and Shipping has claimed that no significant unpleasant happening is taken place at both the terminals so far since installation.
According to official documents available with this scribe, the Ministry has adopted stance that both the projects are being run by two different entities M/s Engro Vopak Terminal Limited (EVTL) and M/s Engro Elengy Terminal Pvt Limited (EEPTL) under separate implementation agreements and lease agreements.
The available documents reveal that Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and Engro Chemicals Pakistan in collaboration with Vopak of Netherlands entered into an implementation agreement in 1996. The terminal has been developed on BOT basis for 30 years to cater liquid chemicals at a cost of $76 million having capacity of 4 million tonnes per annum. Terminal is spread over 102 acres and operational since January 1998.
Terminal mainly comprises a jetty capable of handling up to 75000 vessels product pipelines, 4 marine loading arms and a 1.1 km long trestle that connects the jetty with the shore. The land is allotted on 30 years’ lease basis to establish storage tanks specifically for chemicals by considering all international safety, security codes & standards.
EVTL has obtained Vopak Global SHE Awards in 2011 & 2013 out of 80 terminals in 31 countries. It is significant to note that no untoward incident of even minor nature has occurred during 18 years since its commissioning.
Engro Elengy Terminal Pvt. Limited (EETPL), a subsidiary of ENGRO Group participated for fast track LNG project in the bidding process conducted by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources (P& NR)/ISGS and secured the project. The project has been approved by the Federal Cabinet and subsequently PQA singed implementation Agreement with EETPL on June 23rd 2014 on BOT concept for 30 yeas.
The project is on tolling basis, to handle 400 MMSCFD. Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has issued construction license, therefore, the work is in progress. In addition, EETPL has obtained requisite approvals/ NOCs from Ministry of Defense, Explosive Department and Energy Information Administration (EIA) approval from State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).
