ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) to present a comprehensive business plan aimed at saving $4 billion annually through maritime trade reforms.
Chairing a high-level meeting on Friday, the prime minister instructed officials to submit the plan within two weeks.
He emphasized that the strategy must outline how to eliminate the significant foreign exchange burden caused by the country’s limited shipping capacity.
Expansion of National Fleet Urged
PM Shehbaz pointed out that Pakistan is currently incurring approximately $4 billion in maritime trade expenses due to the reduced number of vessels in the national fleet.
To address this, he directed the immediate acquisition of ships on lease to boost the PNSC’s operational strength.
وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی زیر صدارت پاکستان نیشنل شپنگ کارپوریشن کے امور پر جائزہ اجلاس
وزیراعظم کی PNSC کے بیڑے میں اضافے کے لیے لیز پر بحری جہاز لینے کی ہدایتوزیر اعظم کو PNSC کی کارکردگی پر بریفنگ میں بتایا گیا کہ ادارے کے پاس مختلف نوعیت کے دس بحری جہاز ہیں، جو کہ… pic.twitter.com/y31gsHS4go
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) June 20, 2025
Officials were urged to explore cost-effective leasing models to rapidly scale up capacity and reduce dependency on foreign carriers.
Current Capacity and Leadership Briefing
The meeting was informed that PNSC currently operates a fleet of 10 ships with a combined cargo capacity of 724,643 tonnes.
The prime minister reviewed the corporation’s performance and emphasized the urgency of transforming it into a profitable, strategically autonomous entity.
The session was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, and senior officials from PNSC.
