LaycanDeskNorth China to Karachi and Port Qasim steel coil freight - Caofeidian, Jingtang, Tianjin and Bayuquan to Pakistan
Hot-rolled, cold-rolled and coated coil from the Bohai steel ports to Pakistan, on geared Supramax and Ultramax tonnage or as part cargo on multipurpose ships. Caofeidian, Jingtang, Tianjin Xingang, Bayuquan and Qingdao to Port Qasim and Karachi: hot-rolled coil in 25,000 to 35,000 tonne cargoes on geared Supramax and Ultramax tonnage, and cold-rolled and coated coil as part cargo on multipurpose ships, on a lane where China shipped 1.57 million tonnes of hot-rolled flat steel to Pakistan in 2025.
Pakistan imports most of its flat steel from China. By Pakistan's own customs returns it imported 2.49 million tonnes of hot-rolled flat steel (HS 7208) in 2025, up from 1.68 million in 2024, and China supplied 1.57 million tonnes of it, 63 percent; China also shipped 569,000 t of coated coil (HS 7210), over 90 percent of that trade, and 59,000 t of cold-rolled coil. The coil loads at the Bohai Bay steel ports, Caofeidian and Jingtang in Hebei, Tianjin Xingang and Bayuquan in Liaoning, with Qingdao and Rizhao further south, and runs round through the Malacca Strait, past Sri Lanka and across the Arabian Sea to Pakistan, a passage of about three weeks at 12 knots on the desk's estimate. Full cargoes discharge at Port Qasim, where Marginal Wharf 1 and 2, two 400-metre multipurpose berths for ships up to 225 m and 10 m draft, are the port's only berths for bulk and breakbulk; ships of 27,000 to 30,000 tonnes of coil called there through 2026, and the terminal handled 730,000 tonnes of coil in fiscal 2025-26. Karachi Port's East Wharf berths 10 to 15 take 13 m draft and 250 m length and handle steel, but its 2026 calls with coil were short part-cargo stays.
The gear decides the ship. A standard Supramax has four cranes of about 30 tonnes, and Chinese hot-rolled coil runs up to 30 tonnes or more a coil, so the heaviest coil and its lifting gear have to be known before owners quote: heavier coils need 35 to 36 tonne Ultramax cranes, cranes in tandem or a multipurpose or open-hatch ship. An enquiry reaches owners with the shipper of record and the load port and berth, the coil weights, the heaviest coil and the count, eye to sky or eye fore and aft, the total quantity with tolerance, Port Qasim or Karachi and the berth, the load and discharge rates and terms, the laycan, the commission and the charterer's name, which on a CFR sale is the shipper. Cold-rolled and coated coil from China pays Pakistani anti-dumping duty and hot-rolled coil, on the notices the desk found, does not, so receivers ask about the duty before the freight. Every counterparty is screened before an offer and every ship by IMO number, and the charterer hears back with named ships and open dates. We work by email.
Load ports
- Caofeidian and Jingtang (Tangshan, Hebei)
- Tianjin Xingang
- Bayuquan (Yingkou, Liaoning)
- Qingdao and Rizhao (Shandong)
Discharge ports
- Port Qasim Marginal Wharf 1 and 2: 2 x 400 m berths, ships up to 225 m LOA and 10 m draft
- Karachi Port East Wharf berths 10–15: 13 m draft, 250 m LOA
- Port Qasim handled 730,000 t of coil in FY 2025-26
Cargoes
- Hot-rolled coil 25,000–35,000 t, geared Supramax or Ultramax
- Cold-rolled and coated coil, part cargo on MPP
- Pakistan HRC imports 2.49 Mt in 2025, 63% from China (UN Comtrade)
- Coils over about 30 t: Ultramax gear, tandem lifts or MPP
Ships that carry it
The cargo itself, on Commbril
The cargo from the freight side
Questions charterers and owners ask
Port Qasim or Karachi Port for a full coil cargo?
Full coil cargoes of 27,000 to 30,000 tonnes discharged at Port Qasim's Marginal Wharf 1 and 2 through 2026: two 400-metre multipurpose berths for ships up to 225 m and 10 m draft, the port's only berths for breakbulk, which handled 730,000 tonnes of coil in fiscal 2025-26. Karachi Port's East Wharf berths 10 to 15 take deeper ships, 13 m and 250 m, but its coil calls in 2026 were short part-cargo stays. The receiver's berth and its draft go into the enquiry.
Will a Supramax's cranes lift the coils?
Not always. A standard Supramax has four cranes of about 30 tonnes, and the heaviest Chinese hot-rolled coils weigh that or more before the lifting gear is added. Heavier coils need an Ultramax with 35 to 36 tonne cranes, cranes working in tandem, shore cranes or a multipurpose ship, so the heaviest coil and the coil count come before anything else.
How long is the passage from north China?
About three weeks at 12 knots from the Bohai ports, round through the Malacca Strait, on the desk's own estimate, plus the time at the load and discharge berths. Winter fog and the summer typhoon season can delay loading at the Bohai ports, and the laycan should allow for it.
What duty does Chinese coil pay in Pakistan?
It depends on the product. Cold-rolled coil from China carries Pakistani anti-dumping duty of 13.17 to 19.04 percent, and galvanised and Galvalume coil 40.47 percent to 8 February 2027; the desk found no anti-dumping duty in force on Chinese hot-rolled coil. Customs, regulatory and additional customs duty and sales tax are set each budget, so the receiver confirms the current rates with its clearing agent before the cargo is fixed.