Pakistan”s maritime sector generated a record-breaking profit of Rs100 billion ($360 million) in 2025, a result attributed to a year of wide-ranging reforms designed to enhance port efficiency and establish the nation as a key regional trade hub, according to Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry.
Outlining the ministry’s annual performance, Chaudhry today called 2025 a “year of transformation” driven by more than two dozen initiatives in legislation, digitization, and infrastructure development.
“These reforms are modernising our ports, shipping and fisheries to unlock the true potential of the blue economy,” the minister stated, noting that the country”s regulatory framework had been aligned with international standards, including conventions from the International Maritime Organization and the Hong Kong Convention on ship recycling.
A central element of the overhaul was the finalisation of the National Maritime Policy, which integrates shipping, ports, fisheries, and security under a unified framework for sustainable growth. A new National Shipping Policy was also approved to expand the Pakistan-flagged fleet and curb foreign exchange expenditure on foreign carriers.
Stakeholder consultations were also completed for a National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, which aims to achieve annual seafood exports of $2 billion and generate approximately two million jobs in coastal communities and related industries, Chaudhry said.
Operational performance saw significant improvements, with Karachi Port handling a record 54 million tonnes of cargo. The minister reported that average vessel dwell time was reduced by 24 to 36 hours through enhanced coordination among authorities, targeting a five-day turnaround in line with regional benchmarks.
Substantial savings were realised through stringent cost-cutting measures. Chaudhry highlighted that reduced overtime at the Karachi Port Trust alone saved about Rs70 million per month, while the abolition of 2,152 redundant positions across maritime entities cut human resource costs by billions of rupees.
Land recovery was another key achievement. The Karachi Port Trust and the Port Qasim Authority reclaimed a combined 150 acres of encroached land valued at an estimated Rs110 billion. Port Qasim recovered an additional eight acres.
New infrastructure projects included the establishment of Pakistan”s first bunkering facilities at Karachi and Port Qasim to conserve foreign exchange and attract transhipment traffic. A pioneering ferry service for passengers and cargo was also launched to bolster coastal connectivity and offer a low-cost transport alternative.
At the deep-sea port of Gwadar, 72 acres of free-zone land were handed to operators, and bids were invited for an off-dock terminal on 100 acres to facilitate transit trade from Central Asia.
The minister also announced the “Sea to Steel” project, an initiative to create a green maritime-industrial corridor by integrating ship recycling at Port Qasim with domestic steel production. The project aims to reduce imports and revive Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) using recycled steel.
Looking ahead, Chaudhry introduced the Pakistan Maritime Century Framework 2047-2147 and established an Artificial Intelligence Maritime Secretariat to monitor ports. The ministry is also collaborating with SPARCO to identify sites for new ports.
Digitisation was a cornerstone of the reform drive, with the ministry adopting a 100 percent e-office system for paperless governance. The Pakistan Single Window was integrated with the Port Community System to streamline trade, and an electronic public asset disposal system was introduced for greater transparency.
The reforms extended to social development and education, with steps taken to grant degree-awarding status to the Pakistan Marine Academy. A new advisory body was formed to regulate deep-sea fishing licences, and an endowment fund was established to support children in coastal communities.
Chaudhry asserted that the reform agenda supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and improves the ease of doing business through incentives and public-private partnerships under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
‘Sustained implementation will be key to maintaining the momentum of these achievements, and the gains made in 2025 provide a strong foundation for turning Pakistan’s long coastline and strategic location into a durable blue economic advantage,’ the minister concluded.