Pakistan and Oman launch ferry link plans

Dubai: In a new maritime partnership, Pakistan and Oman have agreed to spearhead a direct ferry link between the two nations. The anticipated route will likely link the Sultanate to Karachi’s Gwadar port.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and bilateral relations, and is anticipated to bring in exceptional economic benefits for Pakistan.

The ferry link, alongside other marine-related developments, were brought to attention during a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday. The discussions were held between Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, and Fahad bin Sulaiman bin Khalaf Al Kharusi, the Ambassador of Oman to Pakistan.

Here’s what you need to know about the anticipated service.

While Pakistan and Oman have a long-standing history of strong cordial and economic ties, the maritime industry holds great potential for further growth.

Economic benefits were at the centre of the discussion, with the ferry link “projecting multi-billion-dollar benefits in trade expansion, investment inflows, and transit revenue,” as highlighted by Minister Junaid Chaudhry.

In fact, the minister also shared that exports from Pakistan to Oman amounted to nearly $224 million in 2024. Such metrics, he emphasised, can grow even further through continued expansion and improvements from both countries.

Meanwhile for Oman, the ferry link will act as a maritime corridor that can expand the country’s trading abilities in the South and Central Asian markets.

Notably, the ferry operations are not just targeted towards trade, but aim to facilitate passenger travel to grow tourism and cultural exchanges as well.

The Omani ambassador welcomed the proposal, while highlighting the continued support of the Pakistani diaspora for Oman’s economic development, including trade, investments, and more.

In addition to the ferry links, the minister also shared offers for specialised education and training opportunities for Omani students at the Pakistan Marine Academy.

Minister Junaid Chaudhry emphasised the impact of the programme saying: “This initiative aims to build human capital and technical expertise in marine sciences and navigation, laying the groundwork for long-term cooperation in maritime education.”

This is the latest maritime connection discussion between the countries, after a previous proposal in 2017, which aimed to launch a passenger ferry between Karachi and Muscat.