Gwadar Port cuts berthing fees by 25%, slashes transhipment charges by 40%

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Monday announced major tariff reductions at Gwadar Port Authority aimed at increasing transit and transhipment traffic and positioning the port as a regional logistics hub.

In a statement, the minister said berthing fees for container vessels and ships carrying transit or transhipment cargo had been reduced by 25%.

Charges on international transhipment container cargo have been reduced by 40%, while transit container cargo charges have been cut by 31%, he added.

The minister also announced one month of free storage for general cargo at Gwadar Port, compared to the standard five-day allowance at other ports in the country.

“These incentives take effect immediately, and further adjustments will be reviewed in phases based on operational data and market response,” the minister said, adding that future revisions would depend on cargo trends, regional competition and sustainability considerations.

Junaid Chaudhry said the measures were part of broader efforts to transform Gwadar into a modern and investor-friendly deep-sea port serving as a gateway for trade with Central Asia, the Middle East and East Africa.

He said the revised tariff regime would reduce operational costs for shipping companies, encourage new feeder and transshipment services and increase cargo throughput at the port.

The minister said growing demand for low-cost and congestion-free shipping routes provided Gwadar with an opportunity to capture a larger share of regional trade flows.

He added that the initiative would help stimulate economic activity, create employment opportunities and support growth in Pakistan’s logistics and maritime sectors.

Chairman Gwadar Port Noorul Haq Baloch said the revised tariff structure was expected to increase commercial activity and create employment opportunities in Balochistan.

He said lower fees and improved facilities would help attract local and international investors and contribute to economic development in the region.

Separately, Junaid Chaudhry highlighted the port’s growing transshipment activity and announced the successful berthing of cargo vessel MV Yuan Hang Wei Ye at Gwadar Port.

According to the minister, the vessel berthed at 10:15am on May 11 carrying around 34,000 tonnes of cargo consisting of nearly 20,000 pieces.

He said the ship was engaged in transshipment operations and carrying consignments destined for Abu Dhabi and Kuwait that would be offloaded at Gwadar.

Junaid Chaudhry said the operation reflected increasing international confidence in Gwadar Port’s facilities and strategic position in regional maritime trade, adding that the government would continue improving port infrastructure and services to attract greater global shipping traffic.