Maritime ministry forms high-level committee to identify sites for new deep-sea ports

KARACHI: The Ministry of Maritime Affairs has constituted a high-level, multi-agency committee to identify potential sites for new deep-sea ports along Pakistan’s coastline, a move aimed at addressing projected capacity constraints at existing ports.

In a statement on Thursday, Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the initiative is part of his ‘Hundred Years Vision 2047-2147’, unveiled during the inauguration of National Maritime Week in Karachi earlier this month.

Chaudhry will personally attend the first meeting of the 12-member committee next week, marking the start of efforts to develop Port 1, Port 2 and Port 3 at strategic coastal locations.The committee, which will meet fortnightly, is tasked with submitting a comprehensive feasibility report within three months. The report will include technical findings, hydrographic maps, satellite data, and investment recommendations to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.

Representatives on the panel include officials from the Port Qasim Authority (PQA), Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the Surveyor General of Pakistan, Hydrographer of Pakistan, and the governments of Sindh and Balochistan.

The committee’s responsibilities encompass reviewing empirical studies, satellite imagery and hydrographic surveys to evaluate potential sites for deep-sea ports, port cities, shipyards and energy hubs. It will also analyse hydrographic, oceanographic and environmental conditions, as well as connectivity requirements including road, rail and pipeline networks.

Land availability, environmental sensitivity, security parameters and proximity to major trade routes will also be assessed. The body will propose site dimensions, indicative layouts, investment models, a phased development roadmap and a national framework for prioritising new port projects. Coordination with provincial governments and federal agencies will ensure a unified approach to maritime expansion and coastal management.

Pakistan’s coastline extends over 1,024 kilometres from Sir Creek in Sindh to Jiwani in Balochistan, with an exclusive economic zone of roughly 240,000 square kilometres and a continental shelf of nearly 50,000 square kilometres.

Chaudhry noted that Port Qasim currently operates at about 65 per cent capacity, Karachi Port Trust at 52 per cent, and Gwadar Port between 5-10 per cent. “Projections indicate all three ports could reach full operational capacity between 2035 and 2045 due to growing industrial activity, regional transit trade, and increased shipping volumes,” he said.

The minister warned that the anticipated surge in cargo, particularly from Afghanistan, the Central Asian Republics, and potential transhipment traffic from the Gulf and East Africa, could lead to serious congestion at existing ports. To address these challenges, he proposed establishing three to four new deep-sea ports.