Port Qasim ranked ninth best port globally: chairman PQA

KARACHI: Port Qasim has achieved a major milestone by being ranked as the ninth best port among 400 ports worldwide, said Rear Admiral Syed Muazzam Ilyas (Retd), Chairman of Port Qasim Authority (PQA).

He was speaking at the 15th Annual Maritime Port and Shipping, Logistics and Supply Chain Management Conference in Karachi.

The chairman informed that Port Qasim is being positioned to become Pakistan’s energy hub while highlighting the country’s untapped maritime potential. “Pakistan’s blue economy contribution stands at merely 0.5 percent,” Admiral Ilyas said, adding that there is a need for substantial development in the maritime sector.

He also highlighted the ongoing efforts to improve maritime infrastructure and modernize port operations through initiatives such as the Digital Single Window Port System, which will align the port system with contemporary international standards.

The chairman PQA said that the remarkable growth of Port Qasim, which began operations with just one berth for Pakistan Steel Mills and has now expanded to 18 berths, demonstrating the port’s continuous development trajectory. Meanwhile, Herman Hardynata Ahmad, Consul General of Malaysia, during his speech focused on blue economy development and its potential for regional growth.

Similarly, Rehan Hanif, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stressed the economic potential of Pakistan’s coastal line, saying that it has the capacity to generate exponential revenue. He pointed out that as shipping costs continue to rise for Pakistani businessmen, the country must develop its own fleet to ensure supply chain security and reduce dependence on foreign shipping lines.

The conference brought together maritime industry stakeholders to discuss critical challenges and opportunities in Pakistan’s port, shipping, and logistics sectors, with emphasis on leveraging the country’s strategic coastal position for economic development.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025