Key Points
- Pakistan deploys space-based and AI monitoring to optimise ports and maritime safety
- Initiative strengthens Pakistan’s role as regional transhipment hub for Central Asia
- Pakistan’s space agency uses satellite imagery to track shipping and environmental hazards
- Climate risks, including sea-level rise and coastal erosion, are integrated into maritime governance
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is leveraging space-based and AI-driven monitoring to modernise port operations, enhance maritime security, and reinforce environmental resilience.;
During a visit to the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry stated that the initiative aims to streamline import-export processes.
According to the Minister, the initiative would also reduce cargo dwell times, improve search-and-rescue capabilities, and detect environmental hazards such as oil spills.
Satellite imagery, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital modelling are being used to identify new port sites, monitor maritime traffic, and optimise port efficiency, positioning Pakistan as a strategic transhipment hub for Central Asian markets.
The Space-Based Port Monitoring Initiative is expected to improve cargo handling efficiency, attract regional trade flows, and enhance operational safety.
SUPARCO’s satellite and AI solutions will bolster maritime security, support emergency response, and provide early warning for environmental incidents.
The environmental monitoring program will enable continuous assessment of coastal ecosystems, water quality, and sediment movement.
However, a climate-resilient maritime governance framework will guide data-driven policy to protect coastal communities and infrastructure.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and SUPARCO plan to formalise this cooperation through a structured framework, establishing a long-term partnership to support technologically advanced, sustainable port and maritime management, with global trade and environmental standards in focus.
