{
  "id": 13006365,
  "title": "Direct shipping between Karachi and major European ports restored",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/direct-shipping-between-karachi-and-major-european-ports-restored-13006365",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-09T02:16:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2035853/direct-shipping-between-karachi-and-major-european-ports-restored"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Karachi has once again connected directly with major European ports, offering a much-needed respite to exporters who have been grappling with extended transit times and escalated freight expenses due to disruptions on international shipping routes, Federal Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry declared on Thursday. Chaudhry disclosed that the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) had \"reinstated its PREMIUM IPAK service,\" responding to the pleas of exporters who sought a direct and dedicated Europe service. The restored service will see MSC making weekly calls at Karachi Gateway Terminal International (KGTI), linking the port city to prominent European destinations like Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Le Havre, and London Gateway via Colombo. Chaudhry emphasized that Pakistan has now become a significant transshipment hub, highlighting the restoration of a dedicated Europe service as a pivotal step for Pakistan's export-driven industries, especially the textile sector, which had suffered from longer transit times and logistics costs due to disruptions in international shipping routes. The minister cited a recent meeting with textile exporters who expressed concerns about the adverse effects of altered shipping routes, particularly those associated with the situation in the Red Sea. These exporters had raised worries about longer vessel journeys leading to higher transportation costs and delayed deliveries, adversely impacting the competitiveness of Pakistani exporters in European and US markets. Chaudhry assured that the reestablished service would enhance connectivity with major European ports, providing exporters with more choices for managing and transporting their shipments. However, he cautioned that the service restoration should not be seen as a solution to the broader challenges plaguing international shipping routes. \"Disruptions to established shipping routes continue to have implications for global trade,\" Chaudhry stated, vowing to collaborate with the shipping industry and exporters to tackle connectivity and logistics issues, and to bolster Pakistan's standing in international trade. In a related development, KPT chairman proposed standardized 24/7 electronic delivery orders, risk-based inspections, non-intrusive scanning, joint inspections, and common sampling. During a meeting of the Working Group on Shipping Connectivity and Optimization at the KPT head office, the focus was on eliminating physical and regulatory obstacles to expedite and make cargo clearance more predictable. Terminal operators confirmed their willingness to conduct night inspections, while Pakistan Customs was urged to facilitate round-the-clock operations.",
  "summary": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2035794",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Direct shipping link with Europe restored",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/direct-shipping-link-with-europe-restored",
        "published": "2026-10-09T02:04:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}