- $100bn targeted by 2047 from about $1bn today.
- Seafood exports aimed at $2bn in 3-4 years.
- Ports, logistics upgrades to drive growth.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that Pakistan’s blue economy will be a “game changer” for the country, backed by a clear roadmap and ambitious targets set by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
Speaking at a virtual maritime conference, he said Pakistan’s starting point in this sector is “pretty modest”, contributing around 0.4% to 0.5% of the national GDP, or roughly one billion dollars.
He said the Ministry of Maritime Affairs has set an ambitious but achievable goal to grow this figure to $100 billion by 2047.
“This billion dollars getting to 100 billion blue economy number by the time we get to 2047 is transformational, and it’s the right ambition that we have set ourselves as we go forward,” he said.
Aurangzeb said the roadmap to achieve this target is backed by strong pillars, including excellence in fisheries and aquaculture through value-added processing, modernising cold chain logistics, and ensuring world-class hygiene standards.
He added that seafood exports could increase from $500 million to $2 billion over the next three to four years.
The minister also spoke about modernising ports and logistics, launching renewable energy projects such as tidal and offshore wind generation, and exploring innovative financing options like blue bonds.
He said these initiatives, along with improved trade and investment flows and ongoing structural reforms, would help Pakistan move towards a sustainable growth path.
“This is a game-changing sector, where the potential is huge,” Aurangzeb said.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.
