Pakistani multimodal logistics firm NLC joins IRU
21 May 2024
Published in: iru.org
NLC, Pakistan’s leading multimodal logistics firm, has joined IRU to further expand its regional services and work with transport companies and associations as well as international bodies worldwide.
Supported by IRU, NLC has pioneered several new TIR routes over the past few years, starting with the launch of TIR along the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) trade corridor. The ITI corridor cuts transit time by 80%, on average, compared to the normal maritime route.
IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said, “We’re delighted to officially welcome NLC into the IRU family. NLC is continuously exploring and establishing new east-west routes across Asia, significantly cutting transit times and costs. They have been able to tap into the benefits of TIR and provide secure, efficient and sustainable road freight options.”
“We look forward to further growing and professionalising the road transport sector together in Pakistan and beyond,” he added.
NLC Director General Maj Gen Farrukh Shahzad Rao said, “After working together for a few years and achieving great results, we’re very pleased to be part of the IRU family. As the TIR system’s main driver in Pakistan, we have optimised road freight in the region, opening several road corridors to the Commonwealth of Independent States, China, Türkiye, and other nations. We look forward to continuing this fruitful relationship.”
“In addition to improving transit and trade across the region, NLC is committed to work with IRU to streamline cross-border transport, bringing innovation and professionalism in the logistics sector. IRU’s internationally recognised training and professional standards would allow us, and the industry at large in Pakistan, to enhance safety, compliance and overall operational effectiveness,” he added.
NLC has activated several corridors by road, notably Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul, Pakistan-Iran-Azerbaijan and Pakistan-Afghanistan-Central Asia. It has also recently opened a route along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and its extension to Central Asia and Afghanistan.
In 2023, following the devasting earthquake that hit Syria and Türkiye, NLC used the TIR system to expedite the delivery of humanitarian supplies via the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul corridor.
Established in 1978, NLC provides multimodal logistics solutions, cross-border transport under the TIR system and other services, including off-dock terminals, logistics parks/warehousing, and cold chain solutions to its diverse clientele in Pakistan and beyond.
