Key Points
- Move aims to cut trade delays and business costs
- Integrated system will track applications and cases
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will establish a Maritime Business Facilitation Centre to provide port-related services to importers and exporters through a one-window system, aiming to reduce procedural delays, lower trade costs, and improve maritime efficiency.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry proposed the one-window facility while chairing a meeting to review progress on ongoing port-related projects, according to the ministry.
The proposed centre will bring relevant government departments and maritime-sector organisations in one place. This would also allow businesses to access multiple port-related services without frequent visits to different offices.
“Businesspeople will no longer have to make repeated visits to different offices,” the minister said, according to the ministry.
The initiative is expected to address a longstanding problem for importers and exporters, who often have to coordinate with multiple agencies, including customs, port authorities, shipping agents and other regulators.
Under the proposed arrangement, participating institutions will appoint focal persons to deal with businesses.
An integrated system linked with the relevant organisations will allow applications and cases to be processed and monitored, helping businesses track progress without making repeated physical visits.
The minister said the facilitation centre would help reduce costs associated with port operations, including trucking, container operations, storage, demurrage, vessel delays and administrative procedures.
Improving trade efficiency
The government expects the one-window mechanism to improve coordination among maritime institutions and reduce bottlenecks that can add time and costs to international trade.
Standardising procedures and bringing services together could also improve fee collection and reduce leakages, according to the minister.
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Higher trade volumes, in turn, could generate additional revenues from port services, cargo handling, customs-related activity and associated logistics.
The proposal comes as Pakistan seeks to strengthen its maritime sector and increase the contribution of ports and related logistics to economic growth.
Pakistan’s ports have also gained greater attention amid shifts in regional shipping patterns, with Karachi handling increased transhipment activity during disruptions affecting major regional trade routes.
The government intends to improve port infrastructure, logistics and maritime services as part of efforts to facilitate exports, attract investment and expand the country’s role in regional trade.
Stakeholder consultations planned
The Maritime Affairs Ministry will consult relevant government departments and maritime-sector stakeholders on the proposed centre’s structure and operating arrangements.
Chaudhry has directed officials to obtain recommendations from stakeholders and incorporate their operational requirements into the final proposal.
The government sees the centre as a step towards making Pakistan’s ports more business-friendly by reducing administrative friction and providing importers, exporters and other users with a single point of access to port-related services.
The initiative is also expected to be particularly useful for businesses that are new to using Pakistan’s ports. They would have access to relevant agencies and guidance through a single facilitation mechanism rather than navigating separate offices and procedures.
