Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Noor-ul-Haq Baloch held a series of high-level meetings in Karachi on Sunday with investors, logistics experts, and shipping industry representatives to advance Gwadar Port's commercial agenda.
Discussions focused on transshipment opportunities, feeder service development, COSCO's potential role, and the newly opened trade corridor to Central Asia via Iran.
Why is Gwadar Port gaining attention amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis?
Rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have increased Gwadar Port's strategic importance as an alternative regional trade and logistics hub.
The GPA chairman has been meeting shipping associations and freight forwarders in Karachi to capitalize on this moment by attracting major shipping lines and transit cargo.
Four transshipment vessels were handled at Gwadar during April, signaling early commercial traction.
What incentives is Gwadar Port offering to attract shipping lines?
The port is offering 30 days of free storage for import and export cargo, along with tariff reductions of 40% on transshipment containers and 31% on transit containers.
These measures are aimed at attracting global shipping lines, particularly COSCO, and positioning Gwadar as a competitive transshipment destination.
The business community has also recommended that the government formally declare Gwadar a transshipment port to unlock further commercial activity.
Stakeholders at the PIFFA meeting stressed that 90 to 95% of global commercial trade is containerized, making the development of a modern container terminal and reliable feeder services at Gwadar an urgent priority.
They said the uninterrupted movement of national and local cargo would naturally attract major shipping lines and freight forwarders.
Participants urged the government to subsidize feeder services and provide tariff concessions to support this goal.
What is the new Central Asia trade corridor via Iran?
The government recently opened access to Central Asian markets via Iran through the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing, which stakeholders described as a breakthrough.
Participants urged the Federal Board of Revenue to issue clear policy guidelines to facilitate the corridor, which would reduce reliance on Afghanistan and strengthen Gwadar's position as a regional transit hub.
How safe and commercially active is Gwadar today?
Former Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Faisal Dashti said security concerns about the port are often exaggerated.
He said hundreds of LPG tankers and petroleum carriers travel daily from Gwadar to the rest of Pakistan without incident.
The Gwadar border generated approximately PKR 54.5 billion in revenue last year, with Baloch, Pashtun, and Karachi-based investors all actively engaged in operations there.
Participants reiterated that Gwadar Port's success is directly linked to Pakistan's economic future.
The private sector, logistics industry, and business community said they stand ready to support the government in transforming Gwadar into a viable regional trade hub.
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