Pakistan has achieved a major milestone in its maritime and trade sectors as the country’s largest-ever container ship, the MSC Mikol, successfully docked at the South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT), the nation’s only deepwater container terminal located at Karachi Port.
According to an official statement released by SAPT on Saturday, the MSC Mikol, operated by the global shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has a length of 400 meters and a capacity of 24,070 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). The arrival of the mega vessel represents a new era of deep-sea cargo handling for Pakistan, positioning the country on the global maritime map.
The Hutchison Ports Pakistan team, operators of SAPT, successfully managed the berthing and cargo operations of the vessel, utilizing world-class infrastructure, advanced cranes, and deep-draft berths capable of accommodating ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs).
In a press statement, an SAPT spokesperson hailed the event as a “historic moment” for the country’s shipping industry.
“The arrival of MSC Mikol is a testament to Pakistan’s readiness to handle some of the world’s largest and most sophisticated container ships. This achievement underscores our commitment to international maritime standards and the growing confidence of global shipping lines in Pakistan’s port capabilities,” the spokesperson said.
