Port Qasim — Pakistan's second-largest port at Bin Qasim, southeast of Karachi — handles container cargo through QICT, plus liquid bulk and dry bulk for industrial exports.
Port Qasim (Port Muhammad Bin Qasim) is Pakistan's second-largest seaport, located approximately 35 km east-southeast of central Karachi at Bin Qasim Town, Sindh. It is administered by the Port Qasim Authority (PQA), established in 1973, and operates a 45-km-long approach channel through Phitti Creek to the Arabian Sea.
Port Qasim's flagship container terminal is Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT), operated by DP World, with deep-water capability and modern STS gantry cranes. Port Qasim also handles a large share of Pakistan's bulk imports — coal for power generation, LNG, edible oil, fertilizer raw materials — and bulk exports such as urea and rice.
For Pakistani agri exporters, Port Qasim is an important alternative to Karachi: QICT often offers shorter dwell times during peak congestion, faster gate turnaround, and direct services to GCC, Far East and Mediterranean. The combined Karachi-Port Qasim system handles essentially 100% of Pakistan's containerised maritime trade (Gwadar is a smaller, growing alternative).
Port Qasim also benefits from proximity to Pipri Marshalling Yard and direct rail/road access to inland Pakistan via Pakistan Railways and the National Highway, making it efficient for cargo originating in central and northern Punjab.
Practical Port Qasim facts:
For exporters in Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas and central Sindh, Port Qasim is often the closer terminal. For exporters in Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore and central Punjab, the choice between Karachi and Port Qasim usually comes down to carrier service availability for the destination route.
Reference: Port Qasim Authority, portqasim.gov.pk. QICT (Qasim International Container Terminal), dpworld.com. UN/LOCODE: PKBQM.