Maritime minister seeks measures to ease textile exporters’ port issues

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has directed relevant authorities to streamline customs and port procedures to reduce clearance delays and ensure shorter and more predictable transit times for textile exports.

The minister was chairing a meeting on issues faced by textile exporters at ports, attended by representatives of the export industry, port authorities, Customs, relevant government departments and other stakeholders.

Junaid Chaudhry urged exporters to ensure timely filing of Goods Declarations (GDs) and completion of required documentation to facilitate smooth cargo clearance.

Customs and port authorities briefed the meeting on existing clearance procedures and the time taken at different stages. Participants discussed measures to improve operational efficiency and reduce cargo dwell time.

The meeting also reviewed consignments selected for scanning. It was observed that scanning should be scheduled efficiently to avoid unnecessary delays while maintaining regulatory and security requirements.

Junaid directed Customs authorities to review the scanning process, identify causes of delays and streamline operations.

He also called for greater use of the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) and advance electronic processing to facilitate clearance before, or immediately upon, cargo arrival.

The minister directed the authorities to examine existing procedures and identify opportunities to reduce processing time through digitalisation and advance filing.

Exporters also raised concerns over longer transit times caused by disruptions to international shipping routes, particularly those linked to the situation in the Red Sea. The meeting noted that route changes and longer vessel journeys had created additional challenges for shipments.

Junaid said the issues required both immediate operational measures and longer-term improvements in shipping connectivity, adding that exporters’ concerns would be addressed through a coordinated mechanism.

It was agreed that Customs, exporters and PSW stakeholders would hold follow-up discussions on cargo dwell time and scanning-related issues.

The minister emphasised the need for prompt and practical measures to address port and customs bottlenecks affecting the competitiveness of Pakistan’s textile exports.