New Gwadar Airport to prove instrumental in boosting regional trade

New Gwadar Airport to prove instrumental in boosting regional trade, WealthPK reported on Wednesday.

The report says, Pakistan is working to develop Gwadar peninsula as a significant port and trading hub, especially for trade with China.

The two countries have signed a number of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in various fields. The mega China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project covers the establishment of a special economic zone (SEZ), free trade zone, and export processing zone in the region for economic development.

New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) is a new greenfield airport being built in Gwadar under the framework of the CPEC.

The NGIA is an important project of the CPEC agreement, and China is investing millions of dollars for this project.

The NGIA is being developed over a 4,300-acre area, and will be the country’s largest airport. This greenfield airport is necessary keeping in view the increased trade activity in the country. It will have an upgraded terminal structure connected to a cargo terminal with refrigeration capabilities for perishable commodities and a 30,000-ton-per-year handling capacity.

The NGIA will accommodate narrow-body planes such as the ATR-72 and Boeing 737-900, as well as wide-body aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-400, WealthPK reported.