Online ship, boat registration begins

To facilitate applicants, digital payments are also being introduced

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Friday announced that the online ship and boat registration system had become operational, enabling vessel owners to submit registration applications electronically without visiting government offices.

In a statement, the minister said the ship and boat registration modules were now fully accessible for online applications following the completion of necessary measures. He said the initiative would modernise maritime administration by reducing paperwork, saving applicants' time and money, improving transparency and helping maintain an updated national database of registered vessels.

The Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, is responsible for registering merchant ships, fishing boats, sailing vessels and harbour crafts under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance and related laws.

The ministry is also working to introduce online payments to further facilitate the applicants. A meeting between officials of the MMD and the State Bank of Pakistan has been scheduled to discuss the integration of an electronic payment mechanism into the system.

"Online payments are expected to become operational within the