Minister stresses swift work on one-door facilitation

Initiative intended to provide port-related businesses with access to govt services under one roof

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has issued directives for accelerating work on establishing a one-door facilitation centre in Karachi to provide port-related business services under one roof.

The minister gave the instructions while reviewing ongoing projects and initiatives of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs at a weekly review meeting. The meeting discussed progress on a range of projects and policy initiatives aimed at facilitating maritime trade, strengthening the fisheries sector and developing the country's blue economy. The minister stressed the need to expedite work on the proposed One-door Cell for business facilitation, saying the initiative was intended to make it easier for port-related businesses to access government services. He said that, in line with the prime minister's vision for trade facilitation, all services related to port trade should be made available under one roof.

The meeting reviewed proposals for simplifying the ship registration process and registration of fishing vessels as well as measures relating to the blue economy and tax incentives for fisheries' exporters. The minister was briefed on progress made in formulation of the National Maritime Policy and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy.

The Shipping and Transshipment Policy also came under discussion, along with development projects at Port Qasim, including the Sea-to-Steel Project and the proposed Integrated Maritime Industrial Complex. Progress on the rehabilitation of the Manora Workshop of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and various development projects at Gwadar Port was also reviewed. The meeting further considered the Maritime Educational Endowment Fund, aimed at supporting the development of maritime education and human resources. The minister directed the relevant officials to maintain momentum on the projects and ensure timely progress, with particular emphasis on measures that could improve the ease of doing business in the maritime sector.