By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: The minister for maritime affairs announced on Sunday storage-charge waivers of as much as 50% at Karachi Port Trust terminals, aiming to ease the financial strain on exporters whose Gulf-bound shipments have been snarled by the conflict in Iran.
Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the relief targets export containers that have been stranded in terminal yards because of operational delays triggered by the broader disruption in global shipping routes. The move follows direct talks between port authorities and terminal operators, led by Karachi Port Trust Chairman Rear Admiral (retired) Shahid Ahmed at the minister’s direction.
The waivers cover 50% at Karachi Gateway Terminal Ltd. from March 1 to March 20, 50% at Karachi International Container Terminal from March 1 to March 10, and 25% at South Asia Pakistan Terminals from March 11 to March 31, according to a statement from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
Chaudhry said the measures apply strictly to export cargo that could not be loaded because of the documented operational disruptions caused by the Iran war, which began in February and has rerouted shipping traffic across the region. “The waivers aim to reduce financial pressure on importers and exporters, clear pending consignments, and improve cargo clearance efficiency,” the minister said in the statement. He described the relief as a concrete step to support the export sector, maintain trade continuity and clear logistical bottlenecks that have mounted since the conflict started.
Chaudhry added that maritime institutions are being encouraged to adopt a more facilitative and trade-friendly approach so that operational delays do not translate into avoidable costs for stakeholders. He stressed the need for improved coordination among ports and terminal operators to deliver smoother logistics and more reliable service.
Such relief measures form part of a broader strategy to make Pakistan’s maritime sector more responsive, competitive and closely aligned with national trade priorities, he said. Efficient port operations are essential to economic stability, export growth and investor confidence, the minister added.
Pakistan has moved quickly to capitalse on the rerouting of shipping traffic caused by the Iran war. Port activity has picked up since February as the country positions itself as a potential transhipment hub for cargo that would otherwise move through more directly affected routes. Officials hope the increased throughput will bolster exports and demonstrate the reliability of Pakistani maritime infrastructure to global investors and shipping lines.
The storage-fee concessions come as exporters across Pakistan have faced higher demurrage and detention charges from vessels delayed en route to Gulf ports. Terminal operators had flagged the issue in recent weeks, prompting the government intervention to prevent a backlog from spilling into broader supply-chain costs.
No immediate figures were released on the value of the waived charges or the volume of containers expected to benefit. The ministry said the relief applies only to the affected export consignments.
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