Pakistan maritime sector records $360mn profit in 2025

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced on Saturday that the maritime sector posted a record Rs100 billion ($360 million) profit in 2025.

Outlining the ministry’s annual performance, the minister described 2025 as a “transformative year marked by more than two dozen initiatives spanning legislation, digitisation, infrastructure development and human resources”.

“These reforms are modernising our ports, shipping and fisheries to unlock the true potential of the blue economy,” he said.

He added that Pakistan had aligned its regulatory framework with international standards, including conventions of the International Maritime Organization and the Hong Kong Convention on ship recycling.

Chaudhry said a central plank of the overhaul was the finalisation of the National Maritime Policy, which brings shipping, ports, fisheries and maritime security under a single framework to guide sustainable growth.

“The government also approved a National Shipping Policy aimed at expanding the Pakistan-flagged fleet to reduce reliance on foreign carriers, a longstanding drain on foreign exchange,” he added.

The minister said that stakeholder consultations were concluded on the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, targeting annual seafood exports of $2 billion and the creation of around two million jobs across coastal communities and allied industries.

Operational performance at the country’s main ports improved markedly during the year, he said, adding that Karachi Port handled a record 54 million tonnes of cargo, while average vessel dwell time was cut by 24 to 36 hours through closer coordination among port authorities, customs and other agencies aimed at an average turnaround of five days, in line with regional benchmarks.

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Chaudhry stated that cost-cutting measures generated significant savings, noting that reduced overtime at the Karachi Port Trust alone saved around Rs70 million per month, while the elimination of 2,152 redundant positions across maritime entities cut human resource costs by billions of rupees.

Land recovery was a key focus, with the Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim Authority reclaiming 150 acres of encroached land worth about Rs110 billion, and Port Qasim recovering another eight acres.

Chaudhry said the first bunkering facilities at both ports are expected to save foreign exchange and attract transhipment traffic.

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The minister highlighted the launch of Pakistan’s first passenger and cargo ferry service, aimed at boosting coastal connectivity and providing a more affordable option for transporting goods. At Gwadar’s deep-sea port, 72 acres of free-zone land were transferred to operators, and bids were opened for a 100-acre off-dock terminal to attract transit trade from Central Asia and beyond.

The minister said the “Sea to Steel” project was announced as Pakistan’s ambitious initiative to create a green maritime-industrial corridor, integrating ship recycling at Port Qasim with domestic steel production to cut imports, boost the economy, and build a self-sustaining maritime hub while reviving Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) through ship dismantling and recycled steel production.

He noted that digitisation was another cornerstone of the reform drive. The ministry shifted to paperless governance through a 100 percent e-office rollout, integrated the Pakistan Single Window with the Port Community System to streamline trade procedures, and introduced an electronic public asset disposal system to enhance transparency and efficiency.

Chaudhry said reforms have also reached maritime education and social development, including steps to grant degree-awarding status to the Pakistan Marine Academy. A new advisory body was established to regulate deep-sea fishing licences, and an endowment fund was created to support children from coastal communities.

He added that the measures are already enhancing the ease of doing business through tax incentives, public-private partnerships, and improved trade routes under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

“Sustained implementation will be crucial to maintaining momentum, and the gains achieved in 2025 lay a solid foundation for leveraging Pakistan’s long coastline and strategic location into a lasting blue economy advantage,” the minister concluded.