KARACHI, Nov 6: Port Qasim is going to build country’s first dedicated dirty bulk cargo terminal at a cost of $180 million and it is expected to become operational within next three years. The terminal, with a jetty of 460 metres length, will be fully automatic and will handle eight million tons per annum of coal, cement and clinker, with a storage capacity of around 0.9 million tons. The Port Qaim Authority (PQA) has awarded construction work of the terminal to Pakistan International Bulk Terminal on 30 years build, operate and transfer (BoT) basis. A signing ceremony of the implementation agreement took place here on Saturday wherein PQA chairman vice admiral M Shafi and chief executive officer Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) Sharique A Siddiqui inked the document. The terminal would be country’s first dedicated dirty bulk cargo handling facility which will be constructed at an estimated cost of $180 million over a period of 30 years. However, the project is expected to come into operation in three years with an initial cost of $140 million. On having a depth of 15 metres, the jetty of the terminal would be capable of handling large ships of up to 75,000 dwt. The back-up area of the jetty will be spread over 25 hectares with 2.5km long trestle. PQA chairman vice admiral M Shafi said that investment of $180 million in development of dedicated terminal would be the single largest investment in the port. He further stated that it was even more interesting that so far most of investment in different projects at PQA had been in foreign collaboration, but this is going to be entirely local investment. The PQA chairman said that presently 176 industrial units are operational at PQA industrial area and about 278 industries are in different stages of development. Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) chairman Capt Haleem A Siddiqui said that Port Qasim invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) in July 2006 from foreign and national firms. Six companies were pre-qualified for the project. He further said that PICT being technically and financially best amongst the bidders was selected for the project. However, to meet the PQA condition, a separate terminal operating company, Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT), was incorporated to carry on the project which is wholly owned subsidiary of PICT. The project was lying in the cold storage for the last four years and files kept moving from Islamabad to PQA but when Vice Admiral M Shafi took over four months back, things started moving and today implementation agreement has been inked. He said Marine Services Group had been participating in every port project and is fully capable of handling and executing such projects on having required expertise and skills, mostly from indigenous resources. Director-General Ports and Shipping Hasan Zaidi, chairperson KPT Nasreen Haque were also present. Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghouri was unable to attend the signing ceremony due to funeral of slain MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq.