KARACHI: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Thursday said Pakistan was implementing international maritime rules across the maritime sector, stressing the need for effective enforcement, training and institutional coordination.
In a message marking World Maritime Day, the minister said the 2026 theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence”, underscored the importance of translating maritime policies and international standards into practical measures through legislation, enforcement, training and capacity building.
Junaid Chaudhry said implementation of maritime standards required coordination among government institutions, regulators, port authorities, shipping companies and other stakeholders.
He said training and technical cooperation were particularly important for developing the skills of seafarers and maritime professionals and maintaining operational standards.
The minister said a Maritime Education Endowment Fund is being established with seed funding of Rs1.2 billion to support higher education and skills development for maritime communities.
He added that the Pakistan Marine academy was being upgraded into a degree-awarding institution to strengthen training and professional competence in the maritime sector.
Referring to maritime infrastructure, Junaid Chaudhry said work had begun on a Rs12bn project to modernise the Gadani shipbreaking yard, including upgrades aimed at bringing the facility in line with international safety and environmental standards.
He said environmental considerations had to be integrated into maritime operations, particularly measures to control marine pollution and support the transition towards cleaner shipping.
He said ports were undertaking mangrove restoration initiatives, while the Karachi Port Trust had launched regular weekly campaigns to remove marine pollution.
The minister linked the World Maritime Day theme with the Sustainable Development Goals, saying implementation in the maritime sector could contribute to infrastructure and innovation under SDG 9, climate action under SDG 13, ocean protection under SDG 14 and international partnerships under SDG 17.
He said the theme was particularly relevant to Pakistan in areas including port operations, shipping, maritime safety, seafarer training and marine environmental protection.
Outlining his long-term vision, Junaid Chaudhry said Pakistan’s proposed “Maritime Century (2047–2147)” would focus on expanding deep-sea port capacity, developing AI-enabled maritime industrial complexes for shipbuilding and ship recycling, producing ships locally, developing green and digital ports with multimodal connectivity, and promoting regional maritime cooperation.
