KARACHI: Pakistan has launched standardized, international-grade bunkering operations at Karachi Port for the first time, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs said on Tuesday, marking a major step toward modernizing the country’s maritime services and aligning its ports with global shipping standards.

Bunkering, which is the refueling of ships with marine fuels such as oil and gas, is a critical component of global maritime logistics. International ports offering regulated, safe and efficiently managed bunkering are able to attract more vessel traffic, shorten port calls, reduce operational risks and expand commercial services ranging from repairs to maritime supply chains. 

Until now, Pakistan’s largest harbor, Karachi Port, had not offered a bunkering service that met global operational and safety benchmarks, placing it at a competitive disadvantage compared with regional hubs in the Middle East and South Asia.

Pakistan, whose coastline sits along key trade routes linking the Middle East, Africa and Asia, has been seeking to upgrade port facilities as part of broader efforts to boost foreign-exchange earnings, strengthen logistics competitiveness and capture a larger share of regional shipping activity. The introduction of regulated bunkering is widely viewed by maritime analysts as a foundational service required of any port aiming to function as a serious commercial hub.

“The move brings Pakistan’s largest port in line with global maritime safety and operational standards, a step long viewed as essential for improving country’s standing in the regional shipping market,” Federal Maritime Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said in a statement released by his office. 

“The introduction of regulated bunkering would remove a long-standing gap in Karachi Port’s service offering, enabling it to compete more effectively with established bunkering hubs in the region and the wider area,” the statement added.

According to the ministry, regulated bunkering is expected to attract more international shipping lines.

“The availability of safe, reliable and efficiently managed bunkering facilities is expected to draw more international shipping lines to Karachi, particularly operators seeking streamlined port calls and predictable service standards,” the statement said.

Chaudhry said increased vessel traffic would generate higher foreign-exchange earnings through port fees, marine services and ancillary commercial activity, including repairs, supplies and maritime logistics. The resulting rise in operational activity is also expected to stimulate employment across multiple layers of Pakistan’s maritime economy.

The minister said the new service would enhance Pakistan’s visibility in the international maritime market by demonstrating the country’s commitment to modern, environmentally responsible and globally competitive port management. He added that compliance with international standards covering fuel quality, safety procedures, documentation and transparency was essential to building confidence among shipowners and global trading companies.

In its first phase, operations will begin in partnership with a leading global energy trading house using certified international practices. The statement said the service would expand as domestic refineries increase supplies of refined fuel meeting global specifications, calling the development “a direct benefit to the national exchequer.”

Karachi Port Trust had reviewed global procedures, drafted new documentation and engaged stakeholders to operationalize the service, the ministry said, adding that the milestone “reinforces KPT’s ambition to operate as a leading regional hub” and signals Pakistan’s commitment to “expanding port capabilities in line with international benchmarks.”