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The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and a Chinese company agreed to boost investments at the port, the maritime affairs ministry said on Tuesday.
Pakistan recently increased efforts on the commercialisation of the Gwadar Port, which was built more than a decade ago but remains a non-starter. In January, the government sought the private sector’s support in routing their cargoes through the port, seeking detailed proposals to enhance trade.
“China’s Xinning Enterprise have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Gwadar Port Authority to stimulate major industrial and commercial investments at Gwadar Port and its Free Zone, underscoring Gwadar’s growing role as a key regional hub for trade and economic activity,” the maritime affairs ministry said in a press release today.
The ministry said that the LoI, which outlines plans for diverse ventures, was signed between Xinning Enterprise’s Yi Jiang and maritime affairs ministry’s additional secretary Umer Zaffar Shaikh, while GPA Chairman Noorul Haq Baloch attended the event online.
“These ventures include developing Gwadar Port as a regional transhipment centre, launching new industrial projects, optimising existing facilities within the Gwadar Free Zone, and relocating industries,” the press release read.
It further said that the Chinese business delegation met with Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry to discuss ways to boost the performance of the Gwadar Port.
While lauding the partnership as a “significant milestone in strengthening Gwadar’s strategic importance”, Chaudhry highlighted Xinning Enterprise’s potential to “boost the port’s capacity, attract foreign investment, and contribute to the broader economic development of the region”.
“Both parties committed to adhering to Pakistan’s legal and regulatory framework governing Gwadar’s port and Free Zone operations,” the ministry stated, “They also pledged continued good-faith discussions to identify investment opportunities, finalise operational details, and establish mechanisms for cooperation.”
Chaudhry also reiterated “the government’s commitment to transforming Gwadar into a global maritime gateway and industrial powerhouse” and said that such collaborations will accelerate Pakistan’s maritime and economic ambitions, the ministry added.
On July 1, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs announced an ambitious plan to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipping lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pakistan with Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Subsequently, five private companies proposed routes for the ferry service.
The move is expected to provide an affordable, direct maritime link for passengers and cargo, particularly benefiting expatriate communities and cross-border traders.
