ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday announced reductions in tariffs at Gwadar Port as part of efforts to position the deep-sea facility as a competitive regional logistics and transshipment hub serving Central Asia, the Middle East and East Africa.
Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the revised tariff structure was aimed at increasing transit and international transshipment traffic through Gwadar while attracting global shipping lines and boosting port activity.
The minister said that under the new tariff policy, berthing fees for container vessels and ships carrying transit or transshipment cargo have been reduced by 25 percent.
Charges on international transshipment containers have been cut by 40 percent, while fees on transit container cargo have been lowered by up to 31 percent, the minister said.
Pakistan has also introduced one month of free storage for general cargo at Gwadar Port, compared with the standard five-day allowance available at other ports in the country.
“Ships bringing transit and transshipment cargo have been given major relief,” Chaudhry said in the statement.
He said the incentives had taken immediate effect and that further adjustments would be reviewed in phases based on operational data, cargo trends, regional competition and market response.
@port_gwadar gets a major tariff cut to boost trade and transit. Under the leadership of FM Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, berthing fees cut 25%, transshipment 40%, transit cargo 31%, plus 1 month free storage—strengthening Gwadar as a regional trade hub. pic.twitter.com/acxUUyBql0
— Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Govt of Pakistan (@MaritimeGovPK) May 11, 2026
Gwadar as regional gateway
Chaudhry said the measures are part of a strategy to transform Gwadar into a modern and investor-friendly deep-sea port.
He said the port was strategically positioned to serve as a trade gateway linking Central Asia, the Middle East and East Africa amid growing demand for low-cost and congestion-free shipping routes.
“The revised tariff regime is expected to reduce operational costs for shipping lines, encourage new transshipment and feeder services, and increase cargo throughput,” the minister said.
He added that the initiative would help stimulate economic activity, generate employment opportunities and expand Pakistan’s logistics and maritime sectors.
Employment and investment
Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Noorul Haq Baloch said the revised tariff structure was expected to support economic growth and employment generation in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.
Baloch said reduced fees and improved port facilities would attract local and international investors, accelerate commercial activity and create new jobs in the region.
The latest measures come as Pakistan seeks to promote Gwadar as an alternative regional trade route amid rising geopolitical tensions and shipping concerns in the Gulf region.
A day earlier, Baloch said Gwadar’s strategic importance had increased due to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, describing the port as a safer alternative gateway for regional trade because of its shorter access to Central Asia.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the All Pakistan Shipping Association in Karachi, he said Gwadar offered lower operational costs, modern facilities and shorter trade routes.
Growing transshipment activity
Earlier this month, Baloch said four transshipment ships had called at Gwadar Port during April, which he described as a sign of the port’s growing role in regional maritime trade.
On Monday, the maritime affairs ministry announced the successful berthing of another cargo vessel at the port.
According to the ministry, cargo vessel MV Yuan Hang Wei Ye berthed at Gwadar Port at 1015 local time carrying around 34,000 tonnes of cargo comprising nearly 20,000 pieces.
The ministry said the vessel was engaged in transshipment operations involving consignments destined for Abu Dhabi and Kuwait, which would be offloaded at Gwadar.
Chaudhry described the development as evidence of growing international confidence in Gwadar’s facilities and strategic location.
