Federal Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chairs high-level review of Integrated Maritime Industrial Complex; Chinese investors submit feasibility study to link ship recycling with steel output.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Friday chaired a high-level review meeting at Port Qasim to accelerate the Sea-to-Steel Initiative, a flagship effort to integrate port infrastructure with steel production and ship recycling.
The meeting focused on the Integrated Maritime Industrial Complex (IMIC), which aims to modernize industrial operations through upgrades at Port Qasim, shipbuilding and recycling facilities, and an integrated steel mill. Representatives from China’s Shandong Xinxu Group and senior officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs attended, while Port Qasim Authority Chairman Rear Admiral (R) Syed Moazzam Ilyas joined via video link from Karachi.
IMIC’s core components include the revival and modernization of the Iron Ore and Coal Berth (IOCB) jetty, which will facilitate ship recycling and repair. Scrap generated from these operations will feed the domestic steel mill, forming the “Sea-to-Steel Green Maritime Industrial Corridor” designed to reduce reliance on imported raw materials and leverage recyclable scrap.
The Chinese group has submitted an unsolicited comprehensive feasibility study, covering financial impacts, structural and hydrographic assessments, and quantitative risk analysis. Minister Chaudhry said the proposal will undergo a thorough review before any decision is taken. “If approved, IMIC would rank among Pakistan’s largest recent maritime and industrial investments, positioning Port Qasim as a regional hub for heavy industry and logistics,” he added.
Highlighting the project’s strategic importance, Junaid Chaudhry noted that integrated maritime recycling, manufacturing, and logistics initiatives could lower steel imports, spur domestic production, create jobs, and strengthen foreign exchange reserves. He stressed that approval would depend on alignment with national priorities of job creation, value addition, and sustainable development.
