Pakistan and Malaysia are advancing maritime collaboration with a new cooperation framework aimed at expanding maritime training and strengthening port-sector ties. The discussions followed a high-level meeting between Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Transport, Datuk Hasbi bin Habibollah, and Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, on Tuesday, during maritime engagements in the United Kingdom.
The two ministers reviewed existing cooperation and explored new opportunities to deepen bilateral relations in the maritime sector, according to an official statement. Chaudhry proposed the establishment of direct feeder shipping lines between Pakistan and Malaysia, with connections extending to Indonesia. This initiative aims to reduce transport durations, cut freight costs, and enhance trade efficiency.
The proposed feeder links are expected to boost Pakistan’s rice exports to Southeast Asia while facilitating the import of edible oil from Malaysia and Indonesia. This aligns with Pakistan’s broader strategy to improve maritime connectivity with ASEAN economies, where demand for Pakistani agricultural products is growing.
For Malaysia, the initiative presents an opportunity to expand its maritime training network and strengthen regional logistics integration as part of its transport-sector modernisation efforts.
Chaudhry also proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance seafarer training and facilitate the exchange of marine cadets. The MoU would allow Pakistan to send its cadets to Malaysian academies for training, while Malaysian cadets would receive specialised training in Pakistan. This exchange is expected to foster the professional development of young seafarers in both countries and further solidify long-term maritime cooperation.
Additionally, Chaudhry offered Malaysia access to Pakistan’s digital port solutions, including the Pakistan Single Window platform, which is now operational at Karachi Port and Port Qasim. Pakistan has been promoting this digital infrastructure as a model for improving cargo-clearance times, enhancing trade transparency, and facilitating smoother trade operations.
Both countries agreed to hold further technical consultations in the coming weeks to finalise the MoU’s scope, define the training modules, and set up mechanisms for the cadet-exchange programme.
