ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has proposed fast-tracking passenger-cargo ferry services between Gwadar and Gulf Cooperation Council ports as part of a broader plan to create alternative trade routes and reduce exposure to regional disruptions.
According to a policy document available with Wealth Pakistan, the proposed Gwadar-GCC ferry services would carry both passengers and commercial cargo, giving traders and businesses an additional maritime option during periods of geopolitical instability or disruption to conventional trade corridors.
The proposal is intended to strengthen Gwadar’s links with Gulf markets and expand the port’s role as an alternative logistics gateway for regional trade.
Officials are considering faster operationalisation of ferry connections between Gwadar and external GCC ports, with the aim of improving both commercial and passenger connectivity.
The plan has been developed against the backdrop of disruptions affecting Pakistan’s trade with Afghanistan, Central Asia, Russia and Iran. The document identifies diversification of maritime routes as an important part of strengthening the country’s trade resilience.
Under the proposal, Gwadar could serve as a fallback logistics hub by providing direct maritime access to Gulf ports when overland or conventional regional routes face security or geopolitical constraints.
Karachi feeder links also proposed
The policy document also recommends dedicated feeder links from Karachi to ports considered less exposed to regional chokepoints, including Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and ports in Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz.
These routes are intended to provide additional options for cargo movement if traditional shipping corridors face disruption.
The Gwadar component, however, focuses specifically on expanding ferry connectivity with GCC destinations and combining passenger movement with commercial cargo operations.
If implemented, the network would add another maritime channel to Pakistan’s existing trade infrastructure and increase Gwadar’s role in regional logistics.
The proposal forms part of a wider effort to diversify trade routes and reduce dependence on corridors vulnerable to changing security and geopolitical conditions.
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