KARACHI: An agreement was signed on Saturday for the development of the country’s first mechanised and fully automated coal, cement and clinker terminal on a 30-year Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. Chairman of Port Qasim Authority (PQA) Vice Admiral M Shafi and Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited (PIBTL) Sharique A Siddiqui signed the implementation agreement. The terminal construction will cost around $173 million. It is expected to become operational in three years with an initial project cost of $140 million. Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited CEO said the terminal would be capable of handling 8 million tons per annum of coal, cement and clinker. The jetty will have a depth of 15 meters and length of 460 meters and will be capable of handling two ships of up to 75,000 dead weight tonnage (DWT) simultaneously. The jetty will be connected to the backup area of 25 hectares with a 2.5 kilometers long trestle with two convener belts. Coal, cement and clinker storage capacity will be 900,000 tons, 540,000, tons (nine silos of 6000 tons each) and 360,000 tons, respectively.