KARACHI: Pakistan has begun construction of a new container ship for its state-owned shipping line as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s maritime sector and reduce dependence on foreign carriers for trade transport, the maritime affairs ministry said on Tuesday.

The steel-cutting ceremony for the vessel was held at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, Pakistan’s state-run shipbuilder, where Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry inaugurated the project, according to an official statement.

The ship, with a capacity of 1,100 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) — the standard measure used to describe container cargo capacity — is being built for the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), the country’s national flag carrier for sea trade.

“Nearly 95 percent of Pakistan’s trade volume is transported by sea, making a strong maritime sector essential for economic stability and growth,” the ministry said, quoting the minister as saying the project was a strategic milestone for the shipping industry.

Pakistan relies heavily on foreign shipping lines to move imports and exports, a dependence that contributes to high freight costs and foreign exchange outflows, particularly during periods of global supply chain disruption.

The government says adding domestically built vessels to the PNSC fleet will help retain freight earnings within the country and improve the corporation’s ability to support Pakistan’s import and export trade.

Chaudhry said the ship was being constructed using domestic resources and expertise, highlighting what he described as growing local shipbuilding capacity. Building vessels locally would also contribute to industrial growth, job creation and technology transfer at Karachi Shipyard, he added.

The project is aligned with Pakistan’s National Maritime Policy, which identifies shipping, shipbuilding and ship repair as key pillars of the country’s so-called blue economy.

Once completed, the new container ship is expected to enhance PNSC’s operational capacity and competitiveness at a time when global shipping markets remain volatile due to geopolitical tensions and fluctuating freight rates.

The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continued investment in shipbuilding and shipping infrastructure, saying such projects were aimed at lowering logistics costs, improving trade efficiency and strengthening Pakistan’s long-term maritime resilience.