Overview
- The M. V. Grande Shanghai berthed at Karachi Gateway Terminal and more than 2,000 electric vehicles were driven off the ship using its built-in ramps, officials said on Friday.
- Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry called the arrival a milestone for Pakistan’s maritime sector and said it shows progress toward world-class port services.
- RoRo shipping lets wheeled cargo be driven on and off a vessel, which cuts crane use, shortens handling time and lowers loading costs compared with containerized methods.
- Officials have not released the EVs’ manufacturers, importers, or distribution schedule, although Karachi Port Trust reported the discharge and turnaround took about 26 hours and 34 minutes.
- The RoRo operation follows recent high-profile port actions such as emergency LNG berthing and ultra-large container calls and could speed EV imports and wider logistics reforms while requiring more charging and assembly capacity.