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KARACHI: Pakistan and Romania are exploring the creation of new maritime linkages between Karachi Port and the Port of Constanța on the Black Sea as part of Islamabad’s push to expand its blue economy and open trade routes to European markets, the ministry of maritime affairs said on Tuesday.

Pakistan’s maritime sector, which underpins its emerging blue economy, contributes less than one percent to GDP but is central to long-term economic plans that envision the country as a regional industrial and trade hub. The government aims to expand the number of operational ports from three to six by 2047, with Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar serving as anchors for new regional shipping and logistics corridors linking the Middle East, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa.

The Port of Constanța, one of the largest on the Black Sea, offers direct connectivity to Central and Eastern Europe through the Danube River corridor, providing a potential new route for Pakistani exports to EU markets.

Discussions on the issue took place between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Romanian Ambassador Dr. Dan Stoenescu in Karachi, with Rear Admiral Atiq-ur-Rehman, Acting Chairman of the Karachi Port Trust, also in attendance.

“Pakistan wants to play a bigger role in global maritime trade by building linkages that connect the Middle East, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa,” Chaudhry was quoted as saying in a statement by the maritime ministry, adding that stronger ties with Romania could help Pakistan diversify its trade and strengthen its role as a regional maritime hub.

Chaudhry said Pakistan’s existing ports are expected to reach full capacity before 2047, underscoring the need for new infrastructure and international partnerships.

“Strengthening maritime infrastructure and connectivity is key to turning Pakistan into a major industrial and trade hub,” he said.

The two sides discussed cooperation in training, digital port systems, environmental management, and capacity building. Chaudhry said developing a skilled workforce to manage next-generation port systems was central to Pakistan’s modernization plans.

Both sides reaffirmed their resolve to expand collaboration across economic, educational, and cultural sectors, reflecting what the ministry described as a growing partnership between Pakistan and Romania.

According to the maritime ministry statement, Romanian Ambassador Stoenescu praised the quality of Pakistani exports and said his country was interested in importing sports goods, surgical instruments, and agricultural products. 

He called maritime cooperation “a practical way to deepen regional integration and shared prosperity.”