Pakistan Announces $60–80m Seafood Export Zone at Korangi

The Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, announced on Saturday the establishment of a dedicated 100-acre Seafood Processing and Export Zone at the Korangi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KoFHA), with projected private investment ranging from US$60–80 million.

The initiative seeks to transform Pakistan’s seafood sector from predominantly raw material exports to higher-value processed and value-added products, with targeted penetration into premium markets in the Gulf region, East Africa, and Asia. The zone is designed to integrate medium-scale processors and value-addition facilities with international buyers through state-of-the-art infrastructure, internationally compliant certification regimes, and optimised export logistics chains.

Development will proceed under a public-private partnership (PPP) structure, most likely via a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession arrangement, whereby private investors will finance, construct, and operate the facilities for an initial term of 20 years (with provision for extensions), while KoFHA retains overarching regulatory supervision and oversight. Alternative collaborative models, including joint ventures with established private exporters or manufacturers, remain under consideration.

Core infrastructure will encompass 20–25 medium-to-large processing units specialised in fish, shrimp, and cephalopods, equipped for advanced value addition and export-compliant packaging. Additional facilities include a multi-temperature cold storage and blast freezing complex (operating between –18°C and –40°C), alongside ice production plants capable of generating 50–100 tonnes daily to support landing, processing, and cold-chain logistics requirements.

Cost estimates draw on proven benchmarks from leading seafood industrial parks in Vietnam, China, and Ecuador. Anticipated revenue streams comprise lease rentals, processing and handling fees, cold storage and logistics charges, utility provision, export revenue participation, and margins on value-added outputs, with an expected internal rate of return (IRR) of 13–17%.

The project aligns fully with Pakistan’s National Blue Economy Policy, Vision 2030 development framework, and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). KoFHA will contribute land allocation, jetty access rights, and institutional facilitation, while the private sector assumes complete responsibility for financing, development, and operational management—underscoring the government’s strategic emphasis on private-sector-led modernisation of the maritime and fisheries economy to elevate Pakistan’s position in global seafood trade.