Pakistan sea LPG imports rose sharply after land supplies from Iran were disrupted. More than 11,600 tonnes of the fuel reached Karachi ports within a week, at a time when retail prices have soared across the country.
An LPG carrier, Yellow Stone, carrying 4,000 metric tonnes of gas loaded in Bahrain, berthed at Port Qasim on October 24. Port Qasim Authority said the arrival marked the start of cargo handling under normal procedures, and it underlined the port role in moving essential energy imports for homes and businesses.
The latest consignment followed two other vessels in the previous 72 hours. The PGC Yiannios, carrying 4,520 tonnes, berthed at the Sui Southern Gas Company terminal. The Alisa 1, carrying 3,083 tonnes, completed its cargo operation. Together, the three ships account for the bulk of the weekly seaborne total.
Why Pakistan sea LPG imports rose
The shift to sea imports followed the suspension of LPG bowser movement across the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing between Pakistan and Iran. Traders say the stoppage cut a major land supply line and pushed prices sharply higher in local markets.
In Lahore, consumers reported paying as much as Rs570 per kilogramme. That is almost double the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority official rate of Rs279 per kilogramme for October. Market prices have reportedly reached Rs500 to Rs600 per kilogramme in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with rates higher still in colder and hilly areas.
Consumers said some vendors had stopped selling LPG openly after government action against overpricing. Those vendors continued to supply it quietly at inflated rates, according to the reports.
Demand pressure grows before winter
Pakistan daily LPG consumption is estimated at 4,000 to 4,500 tonnes, against domestic production of around 2,000 to 2,500 tonnes. Demand typically rises to 6,000 to 7,000 tonnes a day during peak winter, when households depend more on the fuel for cooking and heating.
That seasonal rise makes the current disruption hard to absorb. Winter demand will test both seaborne arrivals and any resumption of cross-border supplies. It will also test price enforcement in local markets, where the gap between the official rate and the street price remains wide.
Pakistan LPG Distributors Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar warned that prices could rise further if supply disruptions persisted. He called for immediate imports, stricter action against overcharging and a review of the pricing mechanism used by the regulator.
Border trade shows signs of movement
Commercial cargo movement has meanwhile resumed at the Gabd-Rimdan crossing. Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati, president of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told a private television channel that trade operations had restarted on Saturday morning.
Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri-Moghaddam also said on Sunday that Iran borders with neighbouring countries remained open for trade. He referred to reports that several hundred trucks carrying LPG had crossed the Rimdan-Gabd border but were awaiting clearance.
The ambassador said bilateral border trade was an integral part of agreements reached at the highest levels. He added that it served the interests of both countries.
What the sea imports mean for consumers
With winter approaching and demand expected to rise, further seaborne consignments could ease supply pressure. Relief for consumers, however, will depend on three things: steady imports, a resumption of cross-border supplies and enforcement of official prices in local markets.
The price gap tells the story for households. A family paying Rs570 per kilogramme in Lahore faces more than double the official October rate. Until that gap closes, the sea route can soften the shortage, but it cannot by itself restore normal prices.
The disruption follows a wider supply squeeze covered in our report on the LPG crisis and delayed crackdown. Border trade had shown movement earlier, as covered in our report on the Gabd crossing reopening. Fuel planning for the winter months was also set out in our report on the November winter fuel plan.
Source reporting: The Express Tribune.
How much LPG arrived by sea in a week?
More than 11,600 tonnes reached Karachi ports, including 4,000 tonnes on the Yellow Stone, 4,520 tonnes on the PGC Yiannios and 3,083 tonnes on the Alisa 1.
Why did LPG prices rise so sharply?
Land supplies from Iran were disrupted after LPG bowser movement across the Gabd-Rimdan crossing was suspended, while demand stayed high and local sellers charged well above the official rate.
