ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION: IMPACT ON SHIPS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ON KARACHI HARBOR

Abstract

Karachi harbor has an immense operational infrastructure of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), Pakistan Navy (PN), and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA). It is significant for the readiness of PN and PMSA for peace and wartime operations. Although the Government of Pakistan has declared Karachi Port Complex a National Vulnerable Area, Karachi’s coast receives massive pollutants from various land and sea sources. The primary sources include liquid discharge from industry and solid effluents of the municipality. The non-availability of disposal facilities and the absence of effluent treatment plants add to the misery. Toxic liquids and solid pollutants remain in the harbor for extended intervals. This pollution threatens the marine environment and ocean life and degrades water quality. These pollutants also affect the life of assets and infrastructures, including incoming and parked ships, which deteriorate fast. This paper includes the sources of pollution and the current state of Karachi harbor. Also, possible outcomes of the growing pollution fall into the domain of this study.