ISLAMABAD: Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) believes in equal opportunity and performance and will continue its efforts to prefer local service providers to different clients.
According to senior official, since inception of Gwadar Port, only local agents were providing services as shipping and customs clearing agents.
He said that GPA always preferred and recommended local service providers to different clients, however he said that being a government entity couldn’t restrict traders and professional services provider from other parts of the country. “This is free market competition based on performance and rate of charges,” he said.
He said that GPA has recommended that local shipping and customs clearing agents should enhance their professional capabilities, which would promote their service charges.
He said that many potential traders were considering to start business through Gwadar Port and planning to hire services of professional agents.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs is planning to start special training programme for the local agents in shipping, customs clearing and other related fields.
In this regard ministry would also approach Balochistan government to initiate training programmes in collaboration with concerned departments of the province, the official said.