https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org The Pakistan Maritime Research Centre is an independent think tank working under the guidance of Riphah Institute of Public Policy, Islamabad. It produces research, analysis and evidence-based recommendations on maritime policy, the blue economy, merchant shipping, ports and logistics, maritime security and regional maritime affairs — supporting institutions that need research for better decisions. en Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/merchant-navy-careers-in-pakistan/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/merchant-navy-careers-in-pakistan/ Merchant Navy and Seafarers Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT How the merchant navy pathway works in Pakistan — cadet entry, STCW certification, sea service and progression from rating to officer. A practical explainer. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/imo-calls-for-end-to-attacks-on-merchant-ships-and-seafarers/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/imo-calls-for-end-to-attacks-on-merchant-ships-and-seafarers/ Maritime Security Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT The IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, has called on Member States to refrain from actions that endanger merchant ships and put seafarers' lives at risk. Speaking to the organisation's Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers, he warned of the severe impact of geopolitical tensions on the shipping industry. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/pakistan-maritime-policy-explained/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/pakistan-maritime-policy-explained/ Pakistan Maritime Policy Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT A plain-language guide to the institutions, laws and policy instruments that govern Pakistan's maritime affairs, from the ministry to the port authorities. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/pakistan-fast-tracks-national-blue-economy-policy/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/pakistan-fast-tracks-national-blue-economy-policy/ Blue Economy Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Pakistan's Ministry of Maritime Affairs has initiated work on a comprehensive Blue Economy Policy intended to develop the country's maritime sector. A high-level meeting chaired by the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, directed the ministry to accelerate policy development, with consultations involving relevant ministries, provincial governments, industry and academic institutions. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/blue-economy-pakistan-what-it-means/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/blue-economy-pakistan-what-it-means/ Blue Economy Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Pakistan's blue economy potential is widely cited. This explainer sets out what the term covers, where the value actually sits, and the constraints that limit growth. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/karachi-port-and-port-qasim-explained/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/karachi-port-and-port-qasim-explained/ Ports, Shipping and Logistics Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT A clear comparison of Karachi Port and Port Qasim — their scale, cargo mix, governance, constraints and what distinguishes them as Pakistan's main trade gateways. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/gwadar-port-strategic-and-economic-significance/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/gwadar-port-strategic-and-economic-significance/ Ports, Shipping and Logistics Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Gwadar is often discussed strategically and rarely commercially. This explainer separates the two and sets out what determines whether the port becomes an economic node. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/pakistan-shipping-industry-challenges/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/pakistan-shipping-industry-challenges/ Ports, Shipping and Logistics Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Why Pakistan's national shipping capacity remains small relative to its trade — the structural, financial and regulatory factors, and what reform would require. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/maritime-security-in-the-north-arabian-sea/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/maritime-security-in-the-north-arabian-sea/ Maritime Security Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT An analytical look at maritime security in the North Arabian Sea — the threats that matter, how sea lanes create exposure, and where policy attention is best directed. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/pakistan-seafarer-certification-and-employment/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/pakistan-seafarer-certification-and-employment/ Merchant Navy and Seafarers Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Seafaring is a services export. This explainer examines certification, crewing, officer shortages and why the strategic question is skill level, not seafarer numbers. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/unclos-and-pakistan-maritime-zones/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/unclos-and-pakistan-maritime-zones/ Maritime Governance Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT What the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea actually provides for Pakistan — territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, continental shelf rights and the duties that come with them. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/pakistan-maritime-trade-routes-and-chokepoints/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/blog/pakistan-maritime-trade-routes-and-chokepoints/ Maritime Security Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT How Pakistan's seaborne trade depends on a small number of sea lanes and chokepoints — and why that concentration is a strategic and economic exposure. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/pakistan-belgium-agree-to-explore-blue-economy-cooperation/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/pakistan-belgium-agree-to-explore-blue-economy-cooperation/ Ports and Shipping Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Pakistan and Belgium have agreed to explore new avenues of cooperation in port development and the blue economy. The understanding was reached at a meeting in Islamabad between the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, and the Belgian Ambassador, Charles-Idesbald Van Der Gracht De Rommerswael. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/imo-secretary-general-calls-for-release-of-seafarers-held-by-pirates/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/imo-secretary-general-calls-for-release-of-seafarers-held-by-pirates/ Maritime Security Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, has appealed for international efforts to secure the release of 44 seafarers being held captive in Somali waters by pirates and armed robbers. The crews are aboard three vessels — Honour 25, Eureka and Sward — hijacked in separate incidents between April and May off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/bimco-ics-seafarer-workforce-report-2026-officer-shortage/ https://pakistanmaritimeresearchcentre.org/news/bimco-ics-seafarer-workforce-report-2026-officer-shortage/ Seafarers and Crewing Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, published jointly by BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping, estimates that the global fleet is served by approximately 2.57 million seafarers. Despite the size of that workforce, the report identifies a shortage of 39,100 officers holding certificates under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), alongside a surplus of 56,890 ratings.