‘Maritime economy to play vital role for decreasing anxiety in economy’

KARACHI: “During these economic resilience days, our maritime economy is set to play a vital role for decreasing the anxiety in economy and waive off the shortfalls of the national economy, as such said Ateeq Ur Rehman (economic and financial analyst).

Incorporating Maritime in the national economy is of utmost importance for a country like Pakistan. Our maritime economy is approx USD 150 billion, private sector needs an active participation by effective investment in the infrastructure of our ports, shipping, logistics and supply chain management. We are already improving our port’s infrastructure, their handling capacities, dredging, berths, storage, skill and equipment.

Sufficient work has been done on it but it requires more collaboration from multilateral and bilateral investors as local investment and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

If we have congestion at our ports, we may need mini deep sea ports for diversity, modernizing our ports and easy handling.

There has to be bridging, policy and industry by creating a business friendly maritime eco system.

We not only have to capitalize maximum transhipments but have to prove to be a transhipments friendly nation.

In past, we were handling a number of containers in a year, now handling same number of containers in a month, lets plan half a million containers in a year then progressively followed by same target in a month.

If I am not being conservative, we have to proceed for dedicated transhipments/ ports, prepare for handling at least 1/2 million TUs in a year.

The shipping cost is surging, exporters and importers are being forced to absorb a substantial additional cost of trade. Our only flag carrier needs to acquire container/feeder vessels to initially help in transhipments, thus creating profit incentives and competitiveness challenges for the business community and others”.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026