CPEC’s first cargo safely escorted: Navy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy is attaching high priority to maritime security components of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. The Navy reiterated its call to secure the sea route as it deployed its ships to provide security cover to ensure safe and secure transit of MV Cosco Willington and MV Al Hussein in international waters.

A press release issued by the Navy said that CPEC’s first cargo containers were safely escorted in the Arabian Sea towards their destination to the Middle East and African countries. It added that the success of CPEC and the Gwadar Port project is linked to the safe and secure maritime environment in the Indian Ocean region in general and in the Arabian Sea in particular.

Pakistan Navy also believes that with the operationalisation of Gwadar port, the maritime traffic to and from Pakistani ports is expected to increase manifold. Pakistan Navy has also adopted a multipronged approach to deal with the prevailing challenges such as beefing up security of the Gwadar Port, conducting security patrols and coastal exercises, enhancing Maritime Domain Awareness and engaging with other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs).

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2016.