PTO blazing a trail Pakistan’s first dedicated tank container cleaning facility is a big success, with business more than doubling over the last financial year. Clive Woodbridge reports

Pakistan’s economy is developing at a steady pace, with the IMF forecasting growth rates of around 2 and 3 per cent respectively in 2015 and 2016. The chemicals and petroleum products sectors are considered to be amongst the parts of the economy that have the greatest scope for growth, as the country tries to realise its undoubted potential. Logistics businesses have an opportunity to expand by taking advantage of Pakistan’s strategic location. Pakistan Terminal Operators (PTO), established in 2013 as a joint venture between e2e and Freight Connection, aims to capitalise on both trends by offering a
comprehensive logistics service to the chemical and downstream petrochemical industries, with a focus on the transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous cargoes in tank containers. The company was established to offer professionally-run, tailored services - including cleaning, storage and re-pairs - for ISO tank containers. Before PTO was set up, there was an obvious gap in the local market. Tank containers were often used on a single trip basis only, as the country lacked dedicated cleaning and washing facilities. “There was a clear need for a specialised tank container cleaning operation to remove sources of odour and contamination so that tank containers could be reused for transportation,” says Khurram Niazzi, chief operating officer, Freight Connection Group. “This .........

January 6, 2016

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