Govt Finally Realizes Major Problem with Gwadar Port

More than ten years have passed but the multi-billion-dollar Gwadar Port has yet to realize its potential as a transshipment hub. Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal criticized the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the National Logistics Cell in a recent meeting for inadequate marketing and unprofessional management of the entities. It was revealed that Gwadar has failed to attract trade and shipment activity and lags behind regional competitors. Poor marketing efforts and the absence of a cohesive business strategy were highlighted as key reasons for the port’s underutilization. Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered 60 percent of public sector cargoes to be routed through Gwadar to activate port operations. He also directed the Planning Ministry to identify shortcomings and recommend corrective measures. The Planning Minister urged authorities to hire an international consultant to conduct a comparative cost-benefit analysis and develop strategies for competitive marketing to attract more business activity at the Gwadar port. The minister urged the need for volume-based revenue models to make Gwadar a cost-effective alternative for global shipping.