ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has offered up to 60 percent cuts in port dues and other charges to attract transshipment vessels to Karachi Port, the maritime affairs minister said on Friday, as the country seeks to boost its role in regional shipping.
The measures come as countries in South Asia and the Gulf compete to position their ports as key transshipment hubs, where cargo is transferred between ships en route to final destinations. Pakistan has long aimed to increase activity at Karachi Port and nearby facilities to capture a larger share of regional shipping flows.
The initiative also reflects broader government efforts to improve trade infrastructure and reduce logistics costs, which analysts say remain a constraint on Pakistan’s export competitiveness.
“The new incentive structure provides significant relief in port dues and berthing charges based on performance, effective from March 18, 2026,” Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said in a statement.
Under the revised framework, vessels carrying dry bulk export cargo will receive a 60 percent concession on port dues, wharfage and storage charges under the Karachi Port Trust tariff.
