Pakistan, China Explore Up to $2.2 Billion Maritime Industrial Complex at Port Qasim

Pakistan and China are moving forward on plans for a major maritime industrial project at Port Qasim, with a visiting delegation from China’s Shandong Xinxu Group holding detailed talks in Islamabad on an Integrated Maritime Industrial Complex (IMIC), state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Chaudhry met a five-member delegation led by Shandong Xinxu Group chairman Hou Jianxin to review the proposed initiative, which is estimated to involve investment of between $1.1 billion and $2.2 billion. Officials said the project is aimed at reviving Pakistan’s maritime and heavy industrial base and could become one of the country’s largest recent industrial investments. According to the statement, the IMIC would focus on three core components: revival of the Iron Ore and Coal Berth jetty at Port Qasim—often referred to as the steel jetty, the establishment of shipbuilding and shipbreaking facilities, and the development of a modern steel mill integrated with port operations. The steel jetty was originally built to serve Pakistan Steel Mills and is designed to handle bulk iron ore and coal cargoes. It can accommodate vessels of 55,000 to 75,000 deadweight tonnes and is connected to the mill by a conveyor system stretching roughly 4.5 to 8 kilometres, linking stockyards and blast furnaces. The IMIC proposal seeks to restore and repurpose this infrastructure as a central pillar of a new industrial ecosystem at the port. Chaudhry welcomed Shandong Xinxu Group’s interest and directed the delegation to submit an unsolicited proposal laying out a comprehensive roadmap for the complex. He asked the company to clearly define its project concept, implementation timelines and technical, financial and environmental feasibility. Once received, the proposal will be evaluated by a joint committee comprising officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and representatives of Shandong Xinxu Group, to be led by Additional Secretary Umar Zafar Sheikh. The minister stressed that any agreement must align with Pakistan’s broader industrial and sustainability priorities, including job creation, value addition and environmentally responsible operations. The IMIC concept was first unveiled by Chaudhry in November 2025 at a Port Qasim Authority ceremony celebrating the port’s recognition as one of the world’s most improved container terminals. Marketed as the “Steel-to-Green Sea” initiative, the plan aims to link ship recycling with domestic steel production, cutting reliance on imported steel and promoting greater use of recyclable materials. If approved and implemented at the envisaged scale, the complex would significantly boost Port Qasim’s role as a regional centre for heavy manufacturing and maritime logistics, deepening industrial ties between Pakistan and China in the process.