Junaid Anwar Chaudhry launches strategic container vessel project at Karachi Shipyard

KARACHI: Construction of a 1,100 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container vessel for the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) has been launched, aimed at strengthening the country’s maritime sector and reducing reliance on foreign shipping lines.

The steel-cutting ceremony was held at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW), where Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry inaugurated the project.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, PNSC and KSEW were also present. Addressing the ceremony, Junaid Chaudhry described the project as a strategic milestone for maritime industry, saying it reflected the government’s commitment to revitalising the shipping and shipbuilding sectors in line with national economic priorities.

The 1,100-TEU vessel is being constructed using domestic resources and expertise, highlighting Pakistan’s growing shipbuilding capacity, he said.

Building the ship locally would strengthen maritime infrastructure and help cut dependence on foreign carriers.

Junaid Chaudhry said the addition of the new vessel to the PNSC fleet would help conserve foreign exchange by reducing freight payments abroad and enhance the corporation’s ability to support Pakistan’s import-export trade.

Nearly 95 percent of Pakistan’s trade volume is transported by sea, making a strong maritime sector essential for economic stability and growth, the minister said, adding that shipping and ship repair were key components of the country’s National Maritime Policy.

He also noted that the project would create employment opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled workers and contribute to industrial growth and technology transfer at Karachi Shipyard.

Once completed, the new container vessel is expected to enhance PNSC’s operational capacity and competitiveness, supporting Pakistan’s trade logistics at a time of global supply chain volatility.

Junaid Chaudhry reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustained investment in shipbuilding and shipping as part of efforts to lower logistics costs, improve trade efficiency and strengthen the country’s blue economy.