KARACHI: All the halls of the Expo Centre, Karachi were taken up by national and international exhibitors, showcasing the best in technology and productivity as the Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference 2025 (PIMEC-25) went into its second day on Tuesday.

With stalls set up by various firms from countries including Iran, Germany, Saudi Arabia and China, the visitors’ interest remained mostly on equipment developed in their own country, Pakistan.

Unmanned devices such as those used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and exploration or harbour channel monitoring and ocean floor mapping such as the autonomous underwater vehicles and the unmanned vehicles by Beyond Koncept, a Pakistani manufacturer, generated much interest. The same company also built the ultra-lightweight torpedo, Eghraa. In the evolving landscape of naval warfare, the torpedo is a paradigm shift in antisubmarine warfare.

At the Ministry of Defence stall, there were models of air defence missile weapon systems, surface to surface ballistic solid propellant missile weapon systems, to grab the interest of the visitors. Plus, there were simulators, drones, armoured vehicles, power solutions, including lithium batteries, drone jammers, solar inverters, etc, which beckoned.

Companies offering armoured vehicles had perfectly normal looking vehicles, which you get to see on the roads all the time, modified for protection with the entire passenger cabin inside area armoured with an armour poly steel. Also, they had very sturdy special tyres with run flat inserts. These tyres with the inserts, made from a German material called Europlast, can carry the car with flat tyres at top speed for an extra 40 to 50 kilometres.

Hall 2 of the exhibition was dedicated entirely to Balochistan. There were stalls showcasing the rich mineral resources from the province. Balochistan has reserves of copper, gold, sulphur, lead, zinc, shale, coal, chromite, etc. The stall set up by Saindak Metals Limited displayed copper extracted from the area and after it had been processed. There were also stalls to tell one about the livestock resources in Balochistan. More about the province included its tourism opportunities and its already booming blue economy sector.

Shipping and trade also have a big presence at the exhibition. The Karachi Port Trust, the Karachi Port Qasim Authority and Pakistan’s deep water container port, Hutchison, also had stalls.

Meanwhile, the International Maritime Conference (IMC-25) being held concurrently with PIMEC-25 commenced on Tuesday.

Organised under the auspices of Pakistan Navy in collaboration with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the conference brings together policymakers, naval professionals, industry leaders, and maritime experts from around the world to discuss issues of global maritime significance.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb graced the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest.

The minister underscored the vital role of the maritime sector in Pakistan’s economic revival and sustainable growth. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to harnessing the immense potential of the blue economy as a cornerstone of national development.

Earlier, President (Designate) National Institute of Maritime Affairs, Rear Admiral Javaid Iqbal (R), warmly welcomed the distinguished delegates and participants.

He highlighted the significance of such forums in shaping maritime policy and providing valuable input for the government’s strategic planning and policy formulation.

The day’s proceedings featured insightful addresses and presentations by senior naval officials, scholars and maritime strategists.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2025