Pakistan Unveils Expansion Plan for Gwadar Port, Ferry Link to GCC Countries

(240919) -- GWADAR, Sept. 19, 2024 (Xinhua) -- An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 17, 2024 shows a view of fishermen dockyard near the Gwadar port in Gwadar, southwest Pakistan. Launched in 2013, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is a corridor linking Gwadar port with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, highlighting energy, transport, and industrial cooperation. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

ISLAMABAD, July 2 (Xinhua):
Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs on Tuesday announced a comprehensive plan to expand operations at Gwadar Port, introducing new shipping lines and a ferry service to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to boost regional trade and connectivity.

In a high-level meeting chaired in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry outlined the initiative as part of the government’s broader maritime strategy aimed at positioning Gwadar as a leading transshipment and logistics hub in the Arabian Sea.

“The expansion of Gwadar Port operations will not only strengthen Pakistan’s maritime trade capacity but also enhance regional connectivity, particularly with Central Asia and the Middle East,” Minister Chaudhry said in a statement issued by the ministry.

The plan includes the launch of a passenger and cargo ferry service from Gwadar to GCC countries, providing affordable and direct maritime transport, thereby opening new avenues for trade and travel.

Located in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, Gwadar Port is a flagship component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which forms part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China.

Launched in 2013, CPEC connects Gwadar Port with Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, establishing a strategic corridor for trade and energy between the Arabian Sea and western China.

Officials say the latest expansion will support Pakistan’s ambition to integrate more deeply with regional supply chains, reduce logistics costs, and offer new maritime trade options for landlocked Central Asian republics.

With ongoing investments in port infrastructure, road connectivity, and digitalization of maritime operations, Gwadar is expected to play an increasingly pivotal role in South Asia’s trade landscape, according to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.