Govt Forms Committee to Identify Sites for New Deep-Sea Ports

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs has set up a high-level committee to identify potential sites for new deep-sea ports along Pakistan’s coastline under the “Hundred Years Vision 2047–2147.” A detailed feasibility report will be submitted within three months. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Thursday said the initiative aims to expand Pakistan’s maritime infrastructure to meet future trade demands. He will personally attend the committee’s first meeting next week to begin work on developing Port 1, Port 2, and Port 3 at strategic locations. The committee will assess environmental and technical conditions, connectivity needs, industrial linkages, and security factors to select suitable locations. It will also prepare a phased development roadmap and propose investment models for approval. Chaudhry said the plan is vital as existing ports are near capacity. Port Qasim operates at 65 percent, Karachi Port at 52 percent, and Gwadar Port between 5 and 10 percent. All three could reach full capacity between 2035 and 2045 due to rising industrial activity and regional trade. He warned that growing cargo traffic from Afghanistan, Central Asia, and transshipment routes from the Gulf and East Africa could strain existing ports.