Sea Freight in Pakistan
Sea freight coordination for containerized imports and exports moving through Karachi Port and Port Qasim.
What is sea freight?
Karachi Port and Port Qasim together handle Pakistan's entire ocean trade, with Karachi Port processing 2.65 million TEUs and over 54 million tons of total cargo in FY2024–25 alone — its highest annual volume on record. The port served 1,943 vessels during the year, including 1,093 container ships. Pakistan's exports to the Middle East typically transit in 5–10 days; shipments to European markets take 18–25 days. Pakistan's textile exports — which reached $17.887 billion in FY2024–25, representing 55.83% of total national exports — move almost entirely by sea through these two ports, making vessel cut-off management and container placement one of the most time-critical logistics tasks in the country.
Operational process for sea freight.
Confirm origin port, destination port, container type, and sailing requirements
Arrange carrier booking and confirm vessel schedule and cut-off dates
Coordinate cargo stuffing, export documentation, and bill of lading issuance
Manage port release and inland delivery coordination on arrival
Sea Freight FAQs
Which ports do you use for sea freight in Pakistan?
Sea freight operations primarily use Karachi Port (KICT, PICT) and Port Qasim (QICT, FOTCO). The port selection depends on cargo type, shipping line allocation, and destination. Karachi Port processed a record 2.65 million TEUs in FY2024–25.
How long does sea freight take from Pakistan to the Middle East?
Transit times to Gulf destinations are typically 5 to 10 days from Karachi Port depending on the carrier, vessel schedule, and destination port.
Can you handle sea freight for Pakistan's textile exports?
Yes. Textile export sea freight is a core part of operations, covering container placement at factories, stuffing coordination, port delivery before cut-off, and export BL documentation. Pakistan's textile sector exported $17.887 billion in FY2024–25, representing over 55% of total exports.