Pakistan to allocate 1,000 acres for Chinese-led maritime industrial complex near Port Qasim

Gwadar Pro

Islamabad: In a landmark step to revive Pakistan’s maritime sector, the government is planning to allocate 1,000 acres of land to Chinese investors for the establishment of an Integrated Maritime Industrial Complex near Port Qasim, official media reported here.

Jawad Akhtar, Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, said the project would consolidate multiple maritime activities – shipbuilding, shipbreaking, repair and maintenance, and recycling – into a single technology-driven hub.

“This is the first investment of this scale by a single foreign company in Pakistan’s maritime industry, and it will fundamentally transform our shipbuilding and ship recycling capabilities,” Akhtar said.

The Chinese investors plan to introduce robotic systems, large modern docks, and advanced recycling technologies that will replace Pakistan’s outdated shipbreaking practices centered in Gadani. Once operational, the complex will also feature re-rolling mills to process ship steel directly on-site, reducing Pakistan’s reliance on imports and saving valuable foreign exchange.

Akhtar highlighted that the complex would enable Pakistan to produce vessels seven to eight times larger than current capacities, cutting production time by nearly 70 percent. “This initiative is not just infrastructure—it’s the revival of Pakistan’s blue economy,” he said.

The project is expected to elevate Pakistan into the ranks of regional and global players in shipbuilding and maritime innovation, driven by advanced Chinese investment and technology.