Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs met Belgian Ambassador Idesbald Van der Gracht at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs. The purpose of this meeting was to forge closer institutional ties in maritime education, technical knowledge sharing, port development, and the blue economy.
Pakistan and Belgium have agreed to explore new avenues in port development and the blue economy@ForeignOfficePk #RadioPakistan #news https://t.co/4LIVqTqvjG pic.twitter.com/8DikPcfAxw
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) September 2, 2026
During the meeting, Minister for Maritime Affairs stated that the Pakistan Marine Academy is being transformed into a degree-awarding institution, establishing a foundation for proposed student exchange programs and joint training initiatives with Belgian maritime institutions.
The purpose of establishing student and professional exchange between Pakistani and Belgian maritime institutions is to share industry expertise and technical practices. Additionally, the plans extend to multipurpose terminal, an automobile zone, a garment zone industrial park, and an energy city designed for white oil, crude oil, and LPG storage.
Pakistan and Belgium also intend to improve cargo handling via new on-dock and off-dock terminals at Karachi Port Trust, while leveraging Gwadar Port to connect Central Asian nations to global transit corridors.
