KARACHI: A Saudi business delegation led by Prince Mansour bin Muhammad Al-Saud has expressed interest in investing in Karachi port infrastructure, logistics connectivity and green initiatives, Pakistani authorities said on Monday, as Islamabad seeks to expand maritime cooperation with its longtime Gulf ally.

The visit comes amid efforts by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to broaden their economic partnership beyond traditional trade, remittances and financial support into investment-led cooperation across infrastructure, energy and other sectors. Pakistan is also seeking to modernize its ports, improve connections with inland transport networks and expand transshipment operations to strengthen its position in regional trade.

Prince Mansour, chairman of the Saudi chapter of the Saudi-Pakistani Joint Business Council, led a high-level business delegation to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) headquarters and South Asia Pakistan Terminals Limited, where officials briefed them on investment opportunities and ongoing modernization projects.

The briefings focused on the proposed 140-acre Maritime Business District in Karachi and the development of Manora Shipyard.

“Prince Mansour expressed keen interest in KPT’s Maritime Business District, Green port initiatives, terminal infrastructure expansion and connectivity initiatives, recognizing their scope for mutually beneficial Saudi investment and joint ventures,” the KPT said in a statement.

The Saudi-Pakistani Joint Business Council serves as a platform for businesses and investors from both countries to identify commercial opportunities, develop partnerships and pursue joint ventures. Prince Mansour has led several delegations to Pakistan as the two governments seek to translate their longstanding political and defense relationship into greater private-sector investment.

In June, KPT signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi and Pakistani partners to explore developing the maritime business district on Karachi’s MT Khan Road. The proposed development, involving Saudi Business Council–Najd Gateway Holding Company, Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management Limited and the Pakistan Corporate Consortium, is intended to accommodate commercial and maritime businesses.

The project was subsequently valued at approximately $5.4 billion in a proposal under evaluation by the port authority, with feasibility studies expected to take up to 18 months before construction could begin in 2028, according to KPT officials quoted by Arab News in July.

KPT Chairman Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed also briefed the Saudi delegation on plans to expand terminal infrastructure and improve transport links, including the proposed M-10 Port Link, KPT-Pipri Freight Corridor, ML-1 railway linkage and East-West Wharves Connectivity Bridge.

Karachi Port handled a record 55.48 million tons of cargo and 2.75 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in the 2025-26 financial year, according to KPT figures.

The delegation also visited South Asia Pakistan Terminals Limited, where members reviewed cargo-handling facilities and terminal operations.

The growing economic engagement comes alongside closer defense ties. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a strategic mutual defense agreement in September 2025 and joined Türkiye in signing the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in August 2026, under which an armed attack on any one of the three countries is considered an attack on all.