Pakistan has resumed commercial shipbuilding after more than 40 years. A new 1,100-TEU containership is now under construction at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW). It is the country’s first domestically built commercial cargo vessel since the early 1980s and marks an important step in reviving Pakistan’s maritime industry.
The vessel is being built for the state-owned Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC). The project was delayed by funding problems but was later revived under the government’s maritime reform programme. Steel cutting began in January 2026, and the shipyard has now started assembling the hull.
For the past four decades, KS&EW has mainly built naval vessels, including frigates, corvettes, fleet tankers and logistics ships for the Pakistan Navy. The new containership marks the shipyard’s return to commercial shipbuilding. Officials say the project will strengthen Pakistan’s domestic shipbuilding industry and reduce reliance on foreign-built vessels.
The project is one of the key initiatives launched by the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Maritime Reforms, created in 2024 to expand Pakistan’s blue economy. One of the reforms was the removal of a 22% sales tax on vessel purchases and shipbuilding materials.
Pakistan is also upgrading its ports. Authorities are introducing 24-hour operations, installing new container scanners and speeding up customs clearance. At the same time, the government is working to revive the country’s ship recycling industry after joining the Hong Kong Convention. Five recycling yards already meet the convention’s compliance requirements.
