ISLAMABAD: Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has stressed the need to facilitate investors as a key strategy to attract new investment and promote the blue economy.
The minister expressed these views during a meeting with a six-member delegation of leading terminal operators, headed by Eqan Ali Khan, CEO of FAP Terminal, at his office, according to a statement on Friday.
He assured the delegation that the government would take all possible measures to ensure the sustainability and growth of their businesses.The delegation urged the minister to help rationalise taxes into a single-digit regime and to declare port services an industry, similar to telecommunications, in order to create a more conducive regulatory and investment environment.
Junaid Chaudhry acknowledged the importance of policy consistency and investor confidence in strengthening the maritime sector. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing structural issues and facilitating business operations at ports.
The minister outlined plans for an ‘Energy City’ project featuring bonded storage facilities for multiple energy products. He said potential locations would be identified based on feasibility and suitability for energy storage and related infrastructure.
He invited terminal operators to form a consortium to invest in the Energy City and encouraged them to develop a participation mechanism and contribute to establishing a multipurpose terminal at Port Qasim.
He also highlighted the recent removal of decades-old containers and pallets, some dating back 50 years, from Karachi Port Trust (KPT) premises to reduce congestion. He said the clearance was part of broader efforts to improve port efficiency and streamline cargo handling.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to maintain close coordination between the ministry and private stakeholders, with the aim of unlocking the maritime sector’s potential and advancing blue economy initiatives.
