Historic progress in Pakistan’s maritime trade: Karachi Port crosses new milestone

Karachi: A major development has come to the fore for Pakistan’s port industry, where Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has set a record for the highest annual cargo handling in its 138-year history during the financial year 2025-26. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, while terming this achievement as a historic milestone for the country’s economy, trade and port sector, said that this success is the result of better management strategies, modern reforms and increasing trade activities.

According to the Minister for Maritime Affairs, Karachi Port Trust surpassed its previous record in cargo handling during this fiscal year, which was set in the fiscal year 2017-18. He said that the continuous improvement in the port’s performance has not only facilitated the country’s imports and exports but has also strengthened Pakistan’s global trade reputation.

He said that the government are continuously taking steps to develop ports on modern lines, improve infrastructure, expand logistics networks and provide world-class facilities. The aim of these reforms is to further consolidate Pakistan as an important maritime and trade hub in the region.

The Federal Minister credited this success to the joint cooperation of Karachi Port Trust Chairman Rear Admiral (retd) Shahid Ahmed, port management, officers, employees and all concerned institutions. According to him, coordinated planning, professionalism and continuous hard work made this historic record possible.

On the other hand, Karachi Port Trust Chairman Rear Admiral (R) Shahid Ahmed also congratulated all the employees of the port and said that the success of the institution is the result of teamwork, effective strategy and a modern management system. He assured that the port’s capacity and competitiveness will be further increased in the future so that Pakistan’s maritime trade can be further promoted.

During the financial year 2025-26, the handling of containerised cargo at Karachi Port also remained at a record level, where more than 2.65 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) were completed. According to experts, this increase in container traffic is proof that international shipping companies are expressing more confidence in Pakistani ports than ever before.

This year, Karachi Port also crossed another important milestone when, for the first time in the history of Pakistan, a fully transshipped cargo ship reached Karachi Port. Experts described this development as a positive step towards Pakistan becoming a regional transshipment hub.

In the same vein, the government has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi partners and local institutions to explore the possibility of establishing a maritime business district on 140 acres of valuable coastal land of the Karachi Port Trust, which is expected to further expand investment, employment opportunities and port activities in the future.

Economic experts say that the record performance of Karachi Port indicates that if the development of modern ports continues at the same pace, Pakistan will not only be able to increase its commercial importance in the region but will also reap lasting benefits for the domestic economy. According to them, investment in the port sector, modern technology and effective policies can produce more positive results for trade and economic development in the future.