Building a stronger maritime future

Dawn published a column by a maritime surveyor and consultant arguing that Pakistan should treat its ports as parts of one national system able to keep working during disruption. The piece followed a seminar on port resilience and maritime stability held at the Karachi Port Trust Staff College in Karachi. According to the writer, the real test is whether the wider maritime economy keeps operating when trouble arrives.

The argument rests on the idea that geography alone is not enough. The three main gateways, Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar, should complement each other rather than compete, so cargo can shift when one is congested or disrupted. The writer also calls for rail, road and dry port links, a digital transit system for Afghan and Central Asian trade, and stronger cyber protection for port systems.

Beyond container terminals, the writer treats fisheries, ship repair, ship recycling at Gadani, maritime tourism and overseas employment for Pakistani seafarers as parts of a wider blue economy. The author adds that these gains will not arrive on their own and depend on investment, steady policy and coordination among agencies, ports, shipping lines and logistics firms. The piece ends by proposing that the KPT Staff College become a centre for training, scenario-based exercises and strategic dialogue.