Pakistan, Türkiye eye shipbuilding ventures, ferry link

Islamabad and Ankara explore maritime cooperation including a potential ferry route and shipbuilding joint projects.

Pakistan and Türkiye on Thursday discussed a wide-ranging maritime partnership plan covering shipbuilding, logistics, and a possible ferry service linking the two countries, as both sides seek to strengthen economic and transport connectivity across the region.

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According to statement, the talks took place in Islamabad between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu. According to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the meeting focused on deepening cooperation in the blue economy, including collaboration in ship operations and the shipbreaking industry.

Chaudhry said Gwadar Port holds vast potential for maritime and logistics investment, inviting Turkish companies to participate in projects aimed at transforming the port into a regional trade and industrial hub. Gwadar is a key component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with ongoing infrastructure expansion expected to raise its cargo handling capacity significantly by 2026.

He added that enhanced cooperation with Türkiye would boost Pakistan’s technical capability in port management and open new routes for trade between South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. “Pakistan attaches great importance to its longstanding brotherly relations with Türkiye,” Chaudhry said, emphasizing joint opportunities in shipping, fisheries, and port development.

Minister Uraloğlu welcomed Pakistan’s proposals, noting that Türkiye would study the feasibility of launching a ferry service between the two countries to promote tourism and bilateral trade. He announced that a Turkish business delegation comprising shipowners and port service providers would visit Pakistan soon, focusing on investment prospects in Gwadar.

According to Pakistan’s Marine Fisheries Department, the country currently holds a 25,000-ton annual tuna quota, and the maritime minister encouraged Turkish investors to establish seafood processing and canning units locally to tap export markets. Pakistan’s seafood exports reached $490 million in FY2024, up 12% year-on-year, driven by higher demand from China and the EU.

Chaudhry also revealed plans to host a major maritime conference within three months, gathering global stakeholders in logistics, fisheries, and port industries to explore partnerships and promote regional maritime cooperation.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding Pakistan–Türkiye collaboration in the maritime sector, expressing optimism that the partnership — anchored around Gwadar Port and the proposed ferry link — would advance mutual trade interests and regional connectivity under the broader blue economy framework.