BEIJING: Once an ordinary field worker, Syed Muhammad Hussain Imam now works as the supervisor of the terminal engineering department at Gwadar International Terminals Limited.
The open-minded man is mainly responsible for the power and fresh water supply of Gwadar Port and free zone, as well as the operation and maintenance of relevant machinery and equipment.
When Syed first came to work in Gwadar in July 2015, the desalination plant and power plant facilities in the port area were outdated and not working properly. Thanks to his team’s efforts, Gwadar Port has now undergone tremendous changes.
New terminal equipment has been installed and adjusted, office buildings have been renovated, wharf storage yards have been expanded, and desalination plant equipment has been introduced there, according to China Economic Net (CEN) on Monday.
Power supply is the basic guarantee for the normal operation of the area. To ensure local production work and residents’ electricity consumption, all generating units in the power plant operate continuously, providing stable power supply for port equipment, factories and residential areas.
Located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, Gwadar area suffers acute scarcity of water, with annual rainfall less than 4 inches. Now Syed’s desalination plant supplies fresh water to the entire port area. Starting in March, the temperature in Gwadar could reach more than 40 °C, with the ground temperature soaring to nearly 70 °C during the hottest days.
Around August, there would be serious red tides in the waters near Gwadar, which could easily cause equipment failure at the desalination plant. To ensure fresh water supply in the area, workers need to repair equipment in the first time.
Moved by the fact that China Overseas Ports Holding Company regularly supplies fresh water to local residents to alleviate their shortage of drinking water, Syed volunteered to join the construction of the fresh water supply pipeline and led his Pakistani colleagues to complete the work before the hottest days come.
In addition, Syed is responsible for supervising container ship loading and unloading, and ensuring the operation and maintenance of bridge cranes at the docks. “We work as a team, now we have carried out intermediary trade to Afghanistan, LPG transportation, ocean-going fishery cargo transit, etc., which greatly increased the cargo throughput of Gwadar Port,” Syed said proudly.
In June 2018, when Said came to China for the first time and visited Tianjin, he was deeply impressed by this highly mechanized port. He said, “I hope Gwadar Port will soon become an important regional logistics and shipping center like Tianjin Port.”
“The construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has brought tangible benefits to the Pakistani people. I am very proud to be one of the builders of CPEC. I will continue to improve myself and contribute to the development of the company and the long-term friendship between Pakistan and China,” Syed added.
In a congratulatory message exchanged with Pakistani President Arif Alvi, Chinese President Xi Jinping noted that the development of CPEC, with joint efforts from both sides, has secured remarkable outcomes in recent years, which delivered benefits to both peoples and added strong momentum to regional prosperity.
Terming CPEC employees as pioneers, Ying Xiong, head of the External Affairs Coordination and Promotion Group of the Leading Group for the Promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative, mentioned that this process was inseparable from the hard work and selfless dedication of the participating units as well as employees.–APP
