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Gwadar Port is a warm-water, deep-sea port situated at Gwadar in Baluchistan, province of Pakistan at the apex of the Arabian Sea and at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, about 460 km west of Karachi and approximately 75 km (47 mi) east of Pakistan's border with Iran. The port is located on the eastern bay of a natural hammerhead-shaped peninsula jutting out into the Arabian Sea from the coastline.
Gwadar is just 400 km from the Strait of Hormuz, a major world oil supply line, and 1,500 km from Kashgar, China. This means oil shipment only need to travel a total distance of 2,000 km from the Strait of Hormuz to China, as opposed to 12,000 km of maritime distance from the Strait of Hormuz to the Port of Shanghai via the Strait of Malacca. Gwadar’s location, at the entrance of Strait of Hormuz, provides enormous economic opportunities not to Pakistan, but to other regions also, Central Asian Republics, Middle East, South Asia and other Gulf States.
Gwadar Port is being constructed in two phases with heavy investment from China. Technical and financial feasibility studies were commenced by the Government of Pakistan in 1993 and construction was commence on 2002. The Gwadar Port was built by China. It was inaugurated in the spring of 2007. Upon completion of the first phase, the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) was hired for the management of the Port. Gwadar Port is now handed over to China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) , to expand deep sea port for full functioning with Technical and Operational assistance by the highly qualified and experienced team of COPHC.
Gwadar Port became operational in 2008 with the first ship to dock bringing 72.000 tonnes of wheat from Canada, ship handling services was carried out successfully by Gurab Lines.
Gwadar’s strategic value is no less than that of the Karakoram Highway, linking Xinjiang to the Middle East via Gwadar held great prospects. 60 per cent of Chinese import of crude came from countries in the Gulf and the amount possibly increases in next decades, because of the proximity of the Gulf countries to Gwadar, oil flow from the region to China will be facilitated.
Gwadar is connected to the various parts of the upcountry and borders of Iran and Afghanistan via Makran Costal Highway. A world class road maintained by NHA(National Highway Authority). This provides a best solution for the transportation of goods for upcountry and transshipment across the border.
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