By Abdul Ghani

Pakistan has proposed fast-tracking multi-purpose and passenger-cargo ferry services between Gwadar and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ports as part of a new trade contingency strategy aimed at establishing alternative trade routes amid changing geopolitical conditions, according to a document available with Wealth Pakistan.

The proposal seeks to strengthen Gwadar’s connectivity with Gulf markets and transform the port into an independent regional fallback for logistics and trade.

The document recommends accelerating the operationalisation of ferry services from Gwadar to external GCC ports, covering both passenger and commercial cargo movements.

The proposed connectivity is intended to provide traders and businesses with an alternative maritime option during periods of regional instability and disruptions to conventional trade corridors.

The Gwadar initiative has been proposed in the context of the impact of the Afghanistan conflict on Pakistan’s trade with Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan and Iran. The policy document identifies the diversification of maritime routes as a key requirement for safeguarding Pakistan’s trade flows.

Under the proposed plan, Gwadar would serve as an alternative regional logistics gateway, offering direct maritime connectivity with Gulf ports and potentially reducing reliance on vulnerable routes affected by geopolitical tensions.

The document also recommends establishing dedicated feeder links from Karachi to safer lower-Gulf and Arabian Sea bypass nodes, including Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and Omani ports outside the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.

However, the Gwadar proposal specifically focuses on rapidly expanding ferry connectivity with GCC ports, to strengthen the port's capacity to act as a trade and logistics fallback during regional disruptions.

The proposed measures could enhance Gwadar’s strategic role in Pakistan’s maritime trade network by combining commercial cargo movement with passenger connectivity to Gulf destinations.

The policy recommendation comes as Pakistan seeks to build greater resilience into its trade infrastructure and diversify maritime routes in response to changing regional security and geopolitical conditions.

According to the document, the proposed Gwadar ferry network is viewed as a potential alternative channel to sustain regional trade and connectivity when conventional routes are disrupted.

Credit: INP-WealthPk