KARACHI: Pakistan has issued its first-ever ferry service license and inaugurated a passenger ferry terminal at Karachi Port, the maritime affairs ministry said on Thursday, formally opening the country’s coastal passenger transport sector as part of a broader effort to expand maritime tourism and attract private investment.

The terminal was inaugurated by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, who said ferry services are expected to commence later this month. Officials described the move as a milestone for a country that, despite a coastline of more than 1,000 kilometers along key regional shipping routes, has never operated a licensed passenger ferry system.

Pakistan has traditionally focused its maritime activity on cargo handling and port operations, while coastal passenger transport remained absent due to regulatory gaps and limited private-sector participation. The new license framework is intended to change that by allowing private operators to enter the sector under government oversight.

“This ferry service is not just a transport initiative but a gateway to economic opportunities, tourism promotion and regional connectivity,” Chaudhry said at the inauguration ceremony.

Pakistan issued its first ferry service license in August 2025, opening the regulatory door for passenger ferry routes to Iran and Gulf nations, and is now moving to operationalize services with the newly inaugurated Karachi terminal.

The government has increasingly promoted the concept of the “blue economy,” a term used internationally to describe sustainable economic activity linked to oceans, ports and coastal resources. Officials say ferry services could stimulate coastal tourism, improve regional connectivity and generate employment across transport, hospitality and related industries.

Chaudhry said the issuance of the first ferry license had already drawn interest from additional investors seeking to operate passenger services, signaling growing private-sector confidence in Pakistan’s maritime reforms. He added that the maritime affairs ministry was working with port authorities to expand infrastructure and encourage public-private partnerships.

The minister also said Port Qasim Authority would soon unveil plans for a new industrial zone, part of a wider strategy to link ports with industrial growth and exports.