PIMEC 2025: Pakistan Plans to Boost Maritime Sector, Blue Economy

[Riaz Haq]

Pakistan recently held its second International Maritime Expo and Conference (PIMEC-25) in Karachi where it announced ambitious plans to expand its maritime sector and boost its blue economy. It is an initiative of the Pakistan Navy, organized under the patronage of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.  The country plans to invest a $100 billion in maritime development by expanding its national shipping fleet, building three new deep sea ports, adding a new shipyard at Gwadar, modernizing its fisheries, and upgrading maritime education. The plan called "Maritime @100" focuses on turning Pakistan into a regional maritime hub for trade, energy, food, and sustainability by 2047.  It aims to increase the sector's GDP contribution from the current 0.4%-0.8% to 4%. 

PIMEC 2025. Source: Lovin Karachi

Pakistan has a 1,046 kilometers long coastline on the Arabian Sea with maritime sovereignty over 200 nautical miles deep Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and 150 nautical miles of Continental Shelf. This adds 290,000 square kilometers of sea or about 36% of the country's land area open for tapping vast resources in it. 

Pakistan's "Blue Economy" in this extended economic zone includes seafood and energy resources as well as international trade connectivity with the rest of the world. It offers opportunities for water sports, recreation and tourism in the coastal areas of Pakistan. The country recently awarded licenses for 23 offshore exploration blocks to four consortiums led by local energy companies, some partnered with foreign firms including Turkey's national oil company TPAO. These blocks cover an area of 53,500 square kilometers.

PIMEC-25 attracted 178 exhibitors, including 28 international firms and 150 local organizations, alongside 133 international delegations representing 44 countries from Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East.  Participants showcased a wide array of innovations, from uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) and drone jamming guns to advanced port technologies, showcasing Pakistan’s growing role in regional maritime trade.

Zarwah Enterprises, a startup led by Minahil Yousaf, Pakistan’s first female-led aquaculture company, demonstrated sustainable pond construction and shrimp farming solutions. AquaTech Fisheries, founded by Muhammad Kamran and Ahmad Hussain, presented innovative fish feed and aquaponics systems across Pakistan, including new farms in Punjab.

Woot Tech and Winged Innovative Solutions (WIS) rolled out remote-controlled drones and unmanned surface vessels (USVs) equipped with rotary cameras, designed for surveillance, mapping, and cloud seeding. WIS showcased an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) for deep-sea repairs and a portable jammer system for military use. These gadgets highlight how homegrown tech Karachi maritime solutions are supporting both commercial and naval operations.

The National Electronics Complex of Pakistan (NECOP) demonstrated the SAFRAH drone jamming gun, which can disable drones up to 1.5 km away for 40 minutes. NECOP also displayed a maritime logistics drone and the Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), letting ships monitor multiple systems from a single control point. Another Pakistani defense firm revealed a 25-foot remote-controlled USV capable of traveling 30 km and running for up to five hours.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

South Asia Investor Review

US EIA Estimates of Oil and Gas in Pakistan

Gwadar to Rival Shenzhen

Pakistan Navy Modernization, Indigenization

Pakistan's Blue Economy

Riaz Haq's Youtube Channel

PakAlumni Social Network

[Riaz Haq]

Karachi Port Bulk Terminal Deal Signed by AD Ports Group


https://www.themaritimestandard.com/karachi-port-bulk-terminal-deal...


Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose Limited (KGTML), part of Noatum Ports, the international ports operating arm of AD Ports Group, and Louis Dreyfus Company Pakistan (Private) Limited, a subsidiary of global agricultural goods merchant and processor Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), have signed a long-term commercial agreement to develop and operate a clean bulk handling and storage facility for agricultural goods at Karachi Port.

Under the agreement, KGTML will invest in the design and construction of a food-grade clean bulk facility, including a dedicated handling and conveyor system supported by essential infrastructure and utilities, to manage dry agricultural bulk cargo efficiently. LDC has committed to supplying inbound volumes of agricultural commodities to support the operation of the new facility.

The development is expected to enhance operational efficiency, shorten handling times and strengthen the resilience of Pakistan’s agricultural logistics network, supporting more reliable supply chains across the country.

Alongside KGTML, AD Ports Group is also developing, operating and managing the Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL) container terminal at Karachi Port. As such Pakistan remains a strategic pillar in AD Ports Group’s wider growth plans as the maritime gateway to Central Asia.