ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is moving to strengthen self-reliance in its maritime sector through a series of port, dredging, logistics and customs reforms being advanced under the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Maritime Reforms.
A key part of the effort is the establishment of National Dredging and Marine Services (NDMS), a joint initiative involving the National Logistics Corporation (NLC), Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and Gwadar Port Authority (GPA).
The initiative is aimed at developing domestic capacity for port maintenance and dredging, reducing reliance on external service providers and building long-term technical capability within Pakistan’s maritime sector.
Officials say the NDMS project represents an important step towards meeting the country’s dredging and marine service requirements through local resources.
Alongside dredging reforms, the Single Point Mooring (SPM) project is being advanced to strengthen Pakistan’s energy supply chain and improve the handling of petroleum and other energy-related cargo.
A freight corridor being developed in cooperation with DP World is also expected to improve cargo movement linked to Karachi Port, helping ease logistics bottlenecks and improve connectivity between the port and inland transport networks.
Digital reforms are another major component of the maritime modernisation drive.
The introduction of digital enforcement and risk-based targeting systems is intended to make customs clearance more transparent, efficient and data-driven, while reducing unnecessary delays in trade processing.
Authorities have also highlighted progress in digital initiatives, including reforms related to IBA customs licensing, as part of efforts to modernise regulatory and trade facilitation mechanisms.
The broader reform programme is focused on combining modern port infrastructure, indigenous technical capacity and digital governance to make Pakistan’s maritime sector more competitive and less dependent on external resources.
With major ports in Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar playing a central role in regional trade and the country’s supply chains, the government is seeking to position maritime reforms as a key part of Pakistan’s wider economic and logistics strategy.