Pakistan has launched a new feeder shipping service linking Karachi Port with Fujairah and Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), improving access for Pakistani traders to the global shipping network.
Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said Karachi Gateway Terminal (Private) Limited (KGTL), a key partner of Karachi Port Trust (KPT), will operate the dedicated feeder service connecting Karachi with Fujairah and Khorfakkan.
“A regular shipping service from Karachi Gateway Terminal to Fujairah and Khorfakkan has begun. The new feeder service marks an important step toward trans-shipment,” Chaudhry said. He added that the first feeder ship arrived at Karachi Gateway Terminal on March 11.
Chaudhry said the service links Karachi with two major regional trans-shipment hubs, allowing Pakistani importers and exporters reliable access to global container shipping networks.
The service will call at KGTL, which operates as part of AD Ports Group’s international operating arm, Noatum Ports. The minister said the feeder link supports supply chain continuity and helps ensure Pakistan’s trade maintains dependable access to international markets.
Port of Fujairah is located in Fujairah, one of the seven emirates of the UAE. Khorfakkan is a coastal city and eastern exclave of the emirate of Sharjah, where the Hajar Mountains meet the Gulf of Oman.
Cargo routed through Fujairah and Khorfakkan will benefit from seamless connectivity to regional and international shipping networks supported by the UAE’s advanced logistics infrastructure. Containers can also be efficiently transferred through integrated road and rail corridors across the UAE.
Chaudhry said the service will strengthen Pakistan’s supply chain and improve trade connectivity.
Khurram Aziz, CEO of KGTL, said the feeder service reflects the terminal’s commitment to improving Pakistan’s maritime connectivity and supporting the trading community.
He added that linking Karachi directly with major UAE trans-shipment hubs provides importers and exporters with reliable access to global shipping networks while strengthening Karachi Gateway Terminal’s role in international trade.
Shahid Ahmed, chairman of Karachi Port Trust, said the new service enhances Karachi Port’s connectivity with regional hubs and supports Pakistan’s growing trade needs.
Chaudhry concluded by saying that Pakistan’s economy relies heavily on maritime trade, and stronger connectivity with regional trans-shipment hubs provides additional resilience for exporters, importers, and supply chains.
