KARACHI: Amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East arising out of US and Israeli aggression against Iran, the Ka­­rachi port has commenced transhipment of goods to the United Arab Emirates.

The large vessels carrying containers do not visit each regional port and instead drop off containers destined for nearby countries at some hubs.

The UAE had become a hub for such large vessels over the past several decades, and goods destined for Pakistan, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and some East African countries were transported to their destinations via feeder ships.

However, amid ongoing attacks on Iran by the US Navy and closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, the shipping lines have decided to drop UAE-bound cargo at Karachi.

Two cargo ships MV TS Tacoma and MV TS Sydney arrived at Karachi on Friday and discharged a large number of containers belonging to TS Line, Heung-A, Sinokor and many NVOCCS as transhipment cargo.

The containers will subsequently be transhipped from Karachi to Jebel Ali in the Middle East.

Karachi Port Trust Chairman, retired Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed, has reaffirmed the commitment to supporting uninterrupted regional and global trade amid the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

Currently, the transhipment cargoes have been placed at terminals within the port limits, while the Pakistan Ships Agent Association (PSAA) has asked the government to facilitate the transhipment cargoes by placing them at ‘off-dock’ terminals situated at Hawkesbay, Mauripur, and Port Qasim.

PSAA Chairman Muhammad Rajpar stated that the signs do not suggest the Strait of Hormuz will open in the coming days, and that the volume of transhipment cargoes is expected to continue increasing over time.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2026