KARACHI: Pakistan’s Gwadar Port has achieved a “major operational milestone” after successfully berthing and handling a large, deep-draft cargo vessel carrying over 53,000 metric tons of cargo, Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Chaudhry said, highlighting the port’s capability as a regional transshipment hub.
The vessel MV BI JIA SHAN, originating from Hong Kong/China and commanded by Captain Li Han, was safely berthed at Gwadar Port on May 24, carrying approximately 53,277 metric tons of prime steel billets comprising around 20,669 pieces, the Pakistani information ministry said, citing the maritime affairs minister.
The development comes amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz due to the United States-Iran tensions. Iran has maintained a stranglehold on the key waterway for global energy and cargo supplies since the US-Israel launched their war on Feb. 28. The US last month imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports despite a ceasefire.
In a statement shared by the information ministry, Chaudhry said the operation was particularly significant as the vessel had an approximate 12.8-meter draft, which demonstrated the effectiveness of Gwadar port’s deep-sea navigation channel and modern handling infrastructure.
“The ship had sailed from Bayuquan Port in China and was originally scheduled for Port Sohar in Oman, but diverted to Gwadar for transshipment operations,” the minister said, adding that the development reflected what “increasing confidence of international shipping lines in Gwadar’s strategic location and operational readiness.”
Pakistan has seen a surge in port activity as vessels divert from Gulf transshipment hubs due to disruptions caused by the US-Iran conflict and Tehran’s counterattacks on Israel as well as US and commercial interests in the Gulf, with cargo volumes rising sharply at key Pakistani ports.
On May 4, Gwadar received its first transshipment vessel of the month, according to the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA). The vessel, M.V. SHOU LONG 618, carried 16,077 metric tons of transshipment cargo that comprised 13,059 packages of Chinese-origin industrial equipment and pipes, originally destined for Kuwait.
Chaudhry said that the continuous arrival and efficient handling of deep-sea vessels highlighted Gwadar’s expanding maritime potential and its growing competitiveness as a deep-water port integrated into global supply chains.
“The successful handling of such large vessels reinforced Gwadar Port’s emerging role in facilitating maritime trade linkages between China, the Middle East, Central Asia and other regional markets,” he said.
