By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Five private-sector operators have submitted proposals to launch a ferry service linking Pakistan’s southwestern Gwadar Port with key Gulf countries, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs said Friday, a step that could bolster regional trade and connectivity.
The submissions, outlining technical, operational, and financial plans, were reviewed in a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, as Pakistan seeks to bolster regional trade and connectivity.
The proposed ferry routes aim to connect Gwadar Port, a strategic asset along the Arabian Sea, with major Gulf destinations, offering an affordable and efficient option for passenger travel and cargo transport. The initiative is part of Pakistan’s broader push to leverage its geostrategic location and transform Gwadar into a central hub in international sea trade networks.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Chaudhry underscored the project’s potential to reshape regional dynamics. “The ferry service will improve travel ease between Pakistan and Gulf states,” he said. “It can position Gwadar as a vital link in regional connectivity and drive long-term economic development.”
The minister added that the service would reduce transportation costs, promote regional trade integration, and elevate Pakistan’s maritime presence, noting, “The ferry service will highlight Gwadar on the international maritime map.”
Chaudhry said officials evaluated the technical and financial aspects of the proposals, reflecting growing private-sector interest in Pakistan’s maritime sector. Authorities were directed to conduct further assessments to ensure regulatory compliance, technical feasibility, and logistical readiness ahead of the service’s launch.
Gwadar Port lies at the heart of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a cornerstone of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has seen Beijing invest tens of billions of dollars in Pakistan’s infrastructure, energy, and transport sectors. Pakistani officials have long highlighted Gwadar’s potential as a regional transshipment hub, offering the shortest trade route to the Gulf and landlocked Central Asian states.
“The ferry service will promote regional connectivity and trade,” Chaudhry said, according to the ministry. “It is expected to ease movement of passengers and goods from Gulf countries.”
The initiative aligns with Pakistan’s efforts to boost transit trade as it recovers from a macroeconomic crisis under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. Recent measures to improve trade competitiveness include plans to cut container dwell time at seaports by up to 70% and a 50% reduction in port charges for exporters at Port Qasim, the country’s second-largest port, implemented last month.
The meeting also saw collaboration with Balochistan’s leadership, with Chaudhry holding a phone call with Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti to secure provincial support. Bugti, who joined the discussion via video call, assured full cooperation, emphasizing the project’s benefits for the region. “The ferry service will facilitate pilgrims and ease traveling for the local population,” he said, adding that the provincial government was giving “serious consideration” to a route from Gwadar to Oman.
The Balochistan government highlighted the broader implications of the initiative, noting that the meeting addressed Gwadar’s development, public facilities, and employment opportunities for youth. Bugti reaffirmed the province’s commitment to youth empowerment through the Pak-China Technical and Vocational Center, a CPEC-linked project aiming to train 30,000 young people to international standards and secure overseas jobs. “The success of Gwadar is intrinsically linked to Balochistan’s broader economic progress,” he said, pledging full provincial backing for all proposed development projects at the port.
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