Maritime sector posts record Rs100bn profit after sweeping reforms, Junaid Anwar Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said maritime sector posted a record Rs100 billion ($360 million) profit in 2025 after a year of sweeping reforms that improved port efficiency, cut costs and cleared long-delayed policies aimed at positioning the country as a regional trade and logistics hub.

Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, outlining the ministry’s annual performance, 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,” Junaid Chaudhry said, adding 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.

The minister 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.

Junaid Chaudhry said stakeholder consultations had been concluded on the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, which targets 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, Mr. Chaudhry said. 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.

Cost-cutting measures delivered substantial savings, Junaid Chaudhry said and added: Reduced overtime at the Karachi Port Trust alone saved about Rs70 million a month, while the abolition of 2,152 redundant posts across maritime entities lowered human resource costs by billions of rupees.

Land recovery efforts also featured prominently. The Karachi Port Trust and the Port Qasim Authority reclaimed about 150 acres of encroached land valued at roughly Rs110 billion, while Port Qasim recovered an additional eight acres, the minister stated.

Junaid Chaudhry noted that first bunkering facilities was also established at Karachi and Port Qasim, a move expected to save foreign exchange and attract transhipment traffic.

The minister said a ferry service for passengers and cargo was launched first time in the history of Pakistan to improve coastal connectivity and provide a lower-cost transport option for goods. At the deep-sea port of Gwadar, 72 acres of free-zone land were handed over to operators, while bids were invited for an off-dock terminal on 100 acres to draw transit trade from Central Asia and beyond, he added.

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.

Junaid Chaudhry said he introduced the Pakistan Maritime Century Framework 2047–2147 to advance the maritime sector, established an Artificial Intelligence Maritime Secretariat in the Ministry to monitor ports, and, with SPARCO’s support, has begun identifying potential sites for new ports.

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.

Reforms were also extended to maritime education and social development, Junaid Chaudhry said, adding that steps were taken to grant degree-awarding status to the Pakistan Marine Academy. He noted that a new advisory body was launched to regulate deep-sea fishing licences, while an endowment fund was established to support children from coastal communities.

The minister said the reform agenda supported several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including decent work and economic growth, industry and infrastructure, responsible consumption, life below water and strong institutions.

He added that the measures were already improving the ease of doing business through tax incentives, public-private partnerships and enhanced trade routes 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.