Karachi Port climbs 30 places to 69th in global index as vessel calls cross 2,000 in a year 

Karachi Port Trust has moved up 30 positions to rank 69th among 400 ports in the Container Port Performance Index 2025, while the number of vessels calling at the port crossed 2,000 for the first time in nearly eight years.

According to the CPPI 2025 report, Karachi Port’s score improved to 45.7 from 30.0 in 2024, lifting its worldwide ranking from 99th to 69th in one year.

The port now ranks ahead of Hamburg, placed 80th, Los Angeles at 88th, London Port at 132nd and Rotterdam at 333rd.

Among other ports listed in the comparison, Singapore ranked 21st, Jebel Ali 45th and Muhammad Bin Qasim, or Port Qasim, 56th.

KPT has set a target of entering the world’s top 50 container ports by 2027.

The CPPI assesses container ports on the time vessels spend at port, providing a measure of operational efficiency and the speed at which ships and cargo are handled.

The latest ranking coincides with an increase in maritime traffic at Karachi Port.

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the port handled 2,003 vessel calls between July 2025 and June 13, 2026, according to data compiled by KPT.

The figure marks the first time Karachi Port has crossed 2,000 ship calls since the fiscal year 2017-18.

The vessels handled during the period represented a combined gross registered tonnage of 84.43 million.

Vessel calls increased by 7.5% compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, while gross registered tonnage rose by 3%.

Chaudhry said the increase reflected higher maritime and cargo activity and greater use of Karachi Port’s infrastructure.

Karachi Port handles a substantial share of Pakistan’s imports and exports and serves as one of the country’s main links with regional and international shipping routes.

The minister said the rise in vessel traffic supported the port’s role in Pakistan’s trade and logistics network and indicated stronger commercial activity.

KPT Chairman Rear Admiral (Retd) Shahid Ahmed attributed the growth to higher shipping activity, improvements in operational efficiency and continued confidence among international shipping lines using Karachi Port.

Established in 1887, Karachi Port handles containerised cargo, bulk commodities and general cargo.

KPT said the improvement in its CPPI ranking reflected continued efforts to reduce vessel turnaround times and strengthen port operations.

The port authority plans to build on the improvement and move into the top 50 of the worldwide ranking by 2027.