Pakistan’s Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, has announced the arrival of the second Afghan transit cargo vessel at Gwadar Port, marking continued progress in efforts to develop the port as a regional trade hub.
The ship, which arrived on Saturday, 14 June, carried 20,000 tonnes of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser from Townsville, Australia, destined for Afghanistan.
“This is part of our sustained efforts to operationalise Gwadar Port as a strategic trade gateway for landlocked Afghanistan,” Chaudhry said in a statement.
Irfan Ahmed, head of Gwadar Port, confirmed that the berthing and unloading operations were completed efficiently and without incident.
The first Afghan transit cargo vessel arrived at Gwadar Port on 3 February 2025. The latest shipment was facilitated by a private company.
This development comes shortly after Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) removed the requirement for bank guarantees on trade with Afghanistan , a move aimed at facilitating smoother bilateral commerce and strengthening regional connectivity.
