Muscat – Pakistan has approved a ferry service linking Gwadar with Oman after granting its first international ferry licence to Sea Keepers, a global operator authorised to run routes to Gulf countries and Iran.

An official of Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs told the news outlet Gwadar Pro that an Omani delegation will visit Pakistan to finalise operational details. The move aims to expand trade flow and support tourism between the two countries. The official said Islamabad and Muscat will soon sign a memorandum of understanding to launch the service.

The approval follows a meeting in July between Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Minister of Maritime Affairs,  and H E Fahad bin Sulaiman al Kharusi, Oman’s Ambassador to Pakistan, in Islamabad where they discussed ways to boost maritime and economic cooperation. Chaudhry underlined the strategic value of a direct Gwadar–Oman route and its potential to increase trade, investment and transit revenues.

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs said the licence for Sea Keepers was approved by a committee of officials from the ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Interior, besides its own, along with representatives of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and port authorities. Chaudhry described the approval as a step aligned with the government’s maritime policy and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s goals for regional connectivity.

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs said the ferry service is expected to serve large numbers of pilgrims travelling to Iran and Iraq, as well as workers and tourists heading to GCC states. It added that the link will ease pressure on land routes and offer a lower-cost alternative to air travel.

‘Initial operations will commence from Karachi and Gwadar using modern ferry vessels equipped with essential amenities for safe and affordable travel. Expansion of routes will follow based on demand and bilateral agreements,’ the ministry stated.

The ferry service is part of Pakistan’s efforts to expand its blue economy, improve trade logistics and promote maritime tourism as it seeks to develop a more sustainable regional transport network.

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