Overview

• Hutchison Ports Pakistan handled the MSC Micol, a 400-meter, 24,070-TEU vessel operated by MSC, in the largest port call in the country’s history.
• The terminal operator said the successful berthing shows Pakistan can accommodate next-generation container ships that run main Asia–Europe services.
• Industry analysts say such calls could lower per-container costs and encourage inclusion on mainline routes rather than relying on feeder links via Gulf ports.
• Karachi and Port Qasim have long faced draft limits, and the 2018 opening of the deep-water terminal enabled reception of vessels up to 400 meters.
• The facility sits in Karachi’s Keamari district and is part of Hutchison Ports’ global network, with the company citing stronger interest from major shipping lines.