Comment by Riaz Haq on July 21, 2025 at 9:48am

Pakistan invests $10.5m in aquaculture park as part of blue economy drive Pakistan is investing $10.5m in a Karachi aquaculture park to boost seafood exports and develop its blue economy...

https://www.undercurrentnews.com/2025/07/21/pakistan-invests-10-5m-...


Pakistan is investing PKR 3 billion ($10.5 million) to build a 120-acre aquaculture park in Karachi, on the country's southern coast, to boost seafood exports and promote sustainable marine resource use, reports Arab News...

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Pakistan plans to build $10.5 million aquaculture park to promote seafood exports

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608657/pakistan

The development comes amid government efforts for sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth
Pakistan’s fish and fish preparation exports reached $465.4 million in the last fiscal year that ended in June
KARACHI: Pakistan is planning to build Rs3 billion ($10.5 million) aquaculture park in the southern port city of Karachi, Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced on Saturday, amid efforts to strengthen the country’s blue economy.

According to the World Bank, the blue economy is defined as sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improving livelihoods and creating jobs, while preserving the ocean ecosystem health.

Pakistan has been pushing to modernize its port infrastructure and expand its role in regional trade by improving cargo handling, digitalizing port operations and encouraging public-private partnerships.

Speaking at a meeting to review progress on blue economy, Chaudhry said this new aquaculture park will be built on 120 acres and directed the Qur'angi Fish Harbor Authority to submit its report within 10 days.

“Pakistani coastal waters are very suitable for aquaculture,” he said in a statement shared by the maritime affairs ministry. “The project will be built under a public-private partnership and the park will boost seafood exports.

Pakistan’s fish and fish preparation exports reached $465.4 million in the outgoing fiscal year that ended in June, according to official data. The exports were up 13.4 percent from $410.3 million in the previous year.

Authorities are currently trying to enhance the potential of Pakistan’s fisheries, logistics and marine services while reducing environmental harm.

“Investment in aquaculture and port infrastructure is essential for national development,” Chaudhry told representatives of Gwadar Port, Qur'angi Fish Harbor, Marine Fisheries and Balochistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry at the meeting.

“The same aquaculture model will be implemented in Balochistan as well.”

In May, the Pakistani government announced the creation of a new Maritime Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), saying it would serve as a specialized platform for uniting stakeholders from across the maritime spectrum to pursue greener policies and long-term economic resilience.

“This chamber will not only support investment and innovation in the maritime sector but also prioritize sustainability at ports, promote green technologies and foster carbon reduction strategies,” Chaudhry said at the time.

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 21, 2025 at 9:25pm

Pakistan seafood exports set volume record in 2024-25 fiscal year but fall short of value targets | SeafoodSource

https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/pakistan-seafood-ex...

Pakistan’s seafood exports set a record by volume in the 2024-25 fiscal year but still fell short of hitting the sector’s long-held value goals.

The South Asian country sent 216,350 metric tons (MT)of fishery products abroad during the period, which ended in June 2025. That total marked an 8.3 percent jump from the nearly 200,000 MT sent abroad in fiscal year 2023-2024 and was largely attributed to the efforts of local fishermen and processors, who expanded their export capacities despite persistent global trade challenges, according to the Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (PFEA).

Exports by value rose 13.4 percent in the period to USD 465 million (EUR 399 million); though that total spiked year over year, it still fell short of the sector’s long-held goal of USD 500 million (EUR 428 million).

According to Muhammad Moazzam Khan, the former director-general of Pakistan’s Marine Fisheries Department, the country’s government has announced several measures to help the industry hit that goal, including supporting cluster-based shrimp-farming projects, establishing technical cooperation with Iran regarding shrimp hatchery development, applying on-board freezing technologies to reduce post-harvest losses, and more.

However, structural and regulatory restraints make that goal a tough mark to hit.

One large restraint is that demand has been weak in key Asian markets, particularly China, amid continued trade disruptions spurred by the U.S.’s constantly shifting tariff policies, according to PFEA Senior Vice Chairman Saeed Fareed...

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 30, 2025 at 4:17pm

Trump Truth Social Posts On X
@TrumpTruthOnX
We are very busy in the White House today working on Trade Deals. I have spoken to the Leaders of many Countries, all of whom want to make the United States “extremely happy.” I will be meeting with the South Korean Trade Delegation this afternoon. South Korea is right now at a 25% Tariff, but they have an offer to buy down those Tariffs. I will be interested in hearing what that offer is.

We have just concluded a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves. We are in the process of choosing the Oil Company that will lead this Partnership. Who knows, maybe they’ll be selling Oil to India some day!

Likewise, other Countries are making offers for a Tariff reduction. All of this will help reduce our Trade Deficit in a very major way. A full report will be released at the appropriate time. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

https://x.com/TrumpTruthOnX/status/1950654905804279830

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Trump Says Pakistan Deal Done, South Korea Is Close

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/fed-meeting-interest-rate-decision...


The U.S. and Pakistan have concluded a trade pact, President Trump said Wednesday, adding that a deal could be close with South Korea.

Trump said on Truth Social that the U.S. has “concluded a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves,” and is in the process of choosing a company to lead the partnership.

Trump also said he would meet with a South Korean delegation on Wednesday afternoon, who would bring an offer to “buy down” the 25% tariffs Trump has threatened to impose Aug. 1. Trump has previously pressed others to commit funds to build infrastructure and energy projects in the U.S., including the European Union and Japan.

Trump provided no further detail, but said "a full report" would be released "at the appropriate time."

Comment by Riaz Haq on August 31, 2025 at 8:33am

Adeel Afzal
@AdeelAfzal06
Pakistan secures 4-year US approval to export seafood under NOAA’s Marine Mammal Protection Act. FY25 seafood exports already up 11.4% to $489m; compliance could lift earnings toward $600m.
A key boost for sustainable fisheries and global market access. 🐟🇵🇰

https://x.com/AdeelAfzal06/status/1961768830914494489

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China tariffs pave way for high seafood exports to US
Pakistan can tap full potential as Washington extends authorisation by 4 years

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2564228/china-tariffs-pave-way-for-hig...

China has lost the entire seafood market in the US following higher duties, market sources said, adding that Beijing was expected to shift its seafood market to Pakistan for exports to the US. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced on Saturday that Pakistan has received authorisation that gave extension for the export of fish and fish-related products to the United States by another four years.

In a statement, the minister said that the decision reflects international recognition of the quality of Pakistan's seafood and would create long-term stability for the sector. "The extension is expected to bolster our position in the global seafood market by securing access to one of the world's largest seafood importers," he said. The federal minister explained that the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has classified all Pakistani fisheries on its List of Foreign Fisheries as "comparable" under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

"This classification confirms that Pakistan's fisheries meet US standards for protecting marine mammals from incidental mortality and serious injury during fishing operations," he said.

The MMPA requires fisheries to minimise marine mammal by-catch, adopt conservation practices and take sustainable measures that also support healthier marine ecosystems.

Comment by Riaz Haq on November 9, 2025 at 5:57pm

Pakistan $100 billion maritime plan


https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621610/pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistan is implementing a $100 billion maritime development plan aimed at expanding its national shipping fleet, building new ship repair and recycling facilities, overhauling fisheries and upgrading maritime education, Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said on Thursday.

Pakistan has a 1,046-km coastline along a major global trade route, but its maritime economy has remained underdeveloped for decades, with limited commercial fleet capacity, outdated port infrastructure and declining seafood exports. Successive governments have identified the blue economy as a potential driver of growth, energy security and climate resilience, but investment and execution have lagged.

“Under the Prime Minister’s guidance, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs is implementing the ‘Maritime @100’ vision, a $100 billion blue economy plan by 2047,” Chaudhry said at the closing ceremony of the flagship Pakistan International Maritime Exhibition and Conference (PIMEC) in Karachi.

“The sea is our next frontier for trade, prosperity, energy, food and climate resilience,” he said. “Pakistan’s future lies in the sea.”

As part of the plan, Pakistan’s first Green Ship Repair and Recycling Yard will be established at Port Qasim, one of the country’s main commercial ports near Karachi that already hosts major steel and industrial facilities. The project will be developed as part of an integrated “Sea to Steel Maritime Industrial Complex” designed to support the revival of Pakistan Steel Mills, the state-owned steelmaker that has remained largely non-operational for years.

Chaudhry said the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) fleet has increased from 10 to 12 ships, with three more expected within two months. Tenders for 12 additional vessels are underway, with the fleet targeted to reach 30 ships by 2026 and 60 within three years.

He said Pakistan had also granted its first private ferry operator license, opening sea routes for passenger movement and coastal trade.

On Gaddani, one of the world’s largest ship-breaking yards long criticized for unsafe conditions and environmental pollution, the minister said a Rs12 billion ($43 million) modernization program is underway to meet Hong Kong Convention safety and environmental standards, shifting toward cleaner and more regulated recycling capacity.

Chaudhry said the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy 2025–2035 has been finalized, targeting a doubling of seafood exports within one year through upgraded cold-chain logistics, traceability certification and deep-sea fishing capacity.

A Maritime Education Endowment Fund has also been created, and the Pakistan Marine Academy will be upgraded into a Maritime University to train seafarers, marine engineers, technologists and ocean science specialists.

The minister said the government’s century-long maritime strategy, termed “Maritime Century (2047–2147),” envisions developing new deep-sea ports, AI-enabled shipbuilding and recycling complexes, “Made-in-Pakistan” vessels and 100 percent green and digital ports with multimodal connectivity.

By 2047, Pakistan aimed to emerge as a global blue economy hub driving sustainable growth across the North Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, the minister concluded.

Comment by Riaz Haq on December 20, 2025 at 5:31pm

Türkiye Delivers Second MILGEM Corvette to Pakistan Navy

https://caspianpost.com/regions/turkiye-delivers-second-milgem-corv...


Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced that the second of four MILGEM corvettes were handed over to Pakistan under a 2018 defense contract.

Erdoğan noted that under the agreement, the first two corvettes were to be built at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, The Caspian Post reports via Turkish media.

“The first ship, PNS Babur, was delivered to Pakistan on May 24, 2024. Today we hand over PNS Hayber, which has successfully completed all trials. The third and fourth corvettes will be built at the Pakistani shipyard in Karachi. PNS Bedir is planned for June 2026, and PNS Tarik in Q1 2027,” Erdoğan said.

The contract was awarded in 2018 to the Turkish state defense company STM (Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret), which is tasked with delivering four MILGEM-class corvettes to the Pakistan Navy. The contract signing ceremony took place the same day in Rawalpindi.

Comment by Riaz Haq on August 31, 2026 at 8:28pm

Boat builders keep Pakistan's fishing heritage afloat
Karachi (AFP) – The rhythmic hammering of nails and the whine of saws echo around a coastal Karachi neighbourhood, where small figures of men work atop massive wooden fishing hulls that loom beneath a pale summer sky.


https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260901-boat-builders-keep-p...


Ibrahim Hyderi, a maritime town on the outskirts of the port city believed to date back centuries, is renowned for the construction of traditional fishing boats.

"This is the area that gave birth to Karachi, and that provided Karachi with its fishing sector," said Mehran Ali Shah of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, which advocates for the local community.

Despite the rise of industrial shipbuilding, such practices -- where handcrafted vessels are assembled timber by timber -- have stood their ground.

Boat-builder Muhammad Asif, 22, learnt the craft from his father as a teenager, and is now proud that he can work on his own.

"I was drawn to this work, so I work at it with great dedication," Asif tells AFP as sawdust coats his face and sun-bleached hair.

"It has always been my passion, that is why I chose this line of work."

Asif, like other workers, starts at 7:00 am every day and heads home for dinner around 7:00 pm, only putting down his tools during a two-hour lunch break.

He earns up to 2,500 Pakistani rupees ($9) a day, working six days a week.

The workers brave the elements all year round, including the sweltering heat and humidity of summers and the soaking rains of the monsoon seasons.

The process begins with a fisherman selecting a boat design. A master craftsman drafts a template and the workers take it from there, drawing on their years of experience to painstakingly build the vessel.

The carpenters choose from different types of timber, such as local eucalyptus wood, or African teak for resilience against seawater.

The heavy blocks of wood are carefully cut using well-worn vertical and other saws, following hand-drawn pencil markings.

The boats are then assembled from the ground up, block by block and nail by nail, with the workers clambering up on rickety ladders as the hulls rise higher.

The time-consuming process means even a small boat measuring just several metres long could take up to three months to construct and cost one million Pakistani rupees ($3,600), Asif says.

Across the yard, the completed boats are given splashes of colour by painter Muhammad Ismail.

The weather-beaten 38-year-old, his hands and nails tinged with blue, is painting petals on the hull of a vessel -- one of many he has worked on over a decade.

"Most of our fishermen prefer floral designs rather than fish," he tells AFP, adding that he experiences "great satisfaction" when an owner appreciates his artwork.


"Some people ask me to create a design according to my own ideas, while others tell me exactly what they want."

At a nearby harbour, fisherman Qadir Bux sits in a small boat owned by his family for at least two decades as he mends fishing nets. The fisherman hopes to give the wooden vessel a facelift soon.

"It's like looking after something very precious, or even like caring for our own child," he says.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 6, 2026 at 5:03pm

Pakistan’s Blue Economy: Turning Maritime Potential Into Economic Power - OpEd - Eurasia Review


https://www.eurasiareview.com/03102026-pakistans-blue-economy-turni...

The essay says Pakistan’s Blue Economy—shipping, fisheries, aquaculture, ports, tourism, offshore energy, and shipbuilding—is about 1% of GDP despite a roughly 1,000 km coastline, with a Planning Ministry URAAN report claiming targeted work could add about $4 billion by 2030.
Recent milestones cited: Port Qasim’s May 2026 discharge of about 210,250 cubic metres of LNG from the Al Kharaitiyat; Karachi Port Trust throughput above 2.65 million TEU in FY2025–26; Gwadar’s first bunkering in July 2026, 2,500 tonnes of very-low-sulphur fuel oil to the ENUGU.
Gwadar under CPEC still needs cargo, rail and road links, and a local industrial base; the author wants cold chains, ship repair, and coastal jobs, and says success is foreign exchange and employment, not berth counts.

For decades, Pakistan’s economic outlook has been shaped primarily by agriculture, industry, remittances and conventional trade. Yet beyond its coastline lies another economic frontier that remains significantly underdeveloped: the Blue Economy. Encompassing shipping, fisheries, aquaculture, port services, coastal tourism, offshore energy and shipbuilding, the maritime sector offers Pakistan an opportunity to diversify its economy, generate foreign exchange and strengthen its position in regional trade. The challenge is no longer simply recognising this potential, but developing the policies and infrastructure required to realise it.
The scale of the opportunity is considerable. Pakistan’s maritime domain includes an approximately 1,000-kilometre coastline and an extensive exclusive economic zone. Its location along the Arabian Sea provides access to major international shipping routes connecting the Gulf, South Asia, East Africa and wider global markets. The Ministry of Planning’s Blue Economy under URAAN Pakistan report identifies the sector as an important avenue for economic transformation, estimating that targeted interventions could generate an additional $4 billion in economic impact by 2030. Yet the report places the maritime sector’s present contribution at only around one per cent of GDP.

This gap between potential and performance makes the Blue Economy an economic policy priority. Pakistan’s three principal commercial ports—Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar—provide the foundation for a broader maritime ecosystem. Their significance, however, should not be measured solely by the volume of cargo handled. Modern ports generate value through warehousing, freight forwarding, ship repair, marine insurance, bunkering, logistics, processing and transshipment. Expanding these services would allow Pakistan to earn revenue from maritime activity beyond the handling of its own imports and exports.

Recent developments demonstrate that Pakistan’s ports are building operational capabilities. In May 2026, Port Qasim received the Al Kharaitiyat, a Q-Flex liquefied natural gas carrier that discharged approximately 210,250 cubic metres of LNG—the largest LNG cargo handled in Pakistan at the time. The operation demonstrated the importance of specialised terminals, navigational management and coordination among port and energy-sector stakeholders.

Karachi Port Trust also reported record container throughput exceeding 2.65 million twenty-foot equivalent units during fiscal year 2025–26. Meanwhile, Gwadar achieved a significant milestone in July 2026 by completing its first commercial marine-bunkering operation, supplying 2,500 metric tonnes of very-low-sulphur fuel oil to the LNG carrier ENUGU. These developments indicate an expansion of services that could help Pakistan attract more shipping business and generate additional maritime revenue.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 6, 2026 at 5:03pm

Pakistan’s Blue Economy: Turning Maritime Potential Into Economic Power - OpEd - Eurasia Review


https://www.eurasiareview.com/03102026-pakistans-blue-economy-turni...

Gwadar’s importance lies in its potential to connect port infrastructure with industrial development and regional commerce under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Nevertheless, geographical advantage does not automatically translate into commercial success. Shipping companies consider reliability, cargo volumes, turnaround times, hinterland connectivity, security, operating costs and the availability of regular services when selecting ports. Gwadar’s long-term viability will therefore depend on building a sustained commercial ecosystem, including road and rail connections, logistics facilities, industrial activity and opportunities for local businesses.

The same strategic approach must extend beyond ports. Pakistan’s fisheries sector requires modern vessels, cold-chain infrastructure, hygienic processing, sustainable harvesting and improved access to international markets. Aquaculture could diversify seafood production and support coastal employment. Shipbuilding and ship repair could reduce dependence on foreign maritime services, while coastal tourism could generate income for communities in Sindh and Balochistan. Offshore renewable energy and marine-related technology also warrant systematic assessment, supported by environmental safeguards and commercially credible feasibility studies.



Realising these opportunities requires institutional coordination and predictable investment policies. Fragmented responsibilities, outdated facilities, limited private-sector participation and inadequate technical skills can prevent maritime assets from generating their full economic value. A coherent national strategy should establish measurable targets for exports, investment, employment, port efficiency and local value addition. Equally important are environmental protection, responsible fisheries management and meaningful participation by coastal communities, whose livelihoods depend directly on marine ecosystems.

Pakistan should therefore view the Blue Economy as more than a port-development programme. It is an opportunity to connect maritime infrastructure with manufacturing, exports, energy, technology and employment. Recent achievements at Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar provide a foundation, but their wider economic impact will depend on the services, industries and trade networks built around them.



The sea offers Pakistan access to global markets; converting that access into prosperity requires sustained planning and execution. The real measure of success will not be how many ships a port can accommodate, but how much productive economic activity, foreign exchange and employment the maritime sector can generate for the country.

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