Pakistan Moves to Speed Up Port Clearance for Textile Exports
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has called for stronger coordination among Customs, port authorities, exporters and shipping stakeholders to reduce port clearance delays, improve cargo handling and make transit times more predictable for Pakistan’s textile exports.
Chairing a meeting on challenges faced by textile exporters at ports, the minister urged exporters to ensure timely filing of Goods Declarations (GDs) and completion of all required documentation. Representatives from the export industry, port authorities, Customs, relevant government departments and other stakeholders involved in port operations, cargo clearance and shipping attended the meeting.
Customs and port authorities briefed participants on existing cargo clearance procedures and the time required at different stages of the process. The discussion focused on improving coordination between Customs, terminal operators, traders and port authorities to strengthen operational efficiency and port logistics.
The meeting also examined consignments selected for scanning. Participants agreed that scanning should be scheduled efficiently to prevent avoidable delays while maintaining regulatory compliance and maritime security requirements.
Junaid Chaudhry directed Customs authorities to review the scanning procedure, determine the causes of delays and work with relevant stakeholders to streamline cargo clearance operations. He also called for greater use of the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) and advance electronic processing so that documentation and clearance can be completed before, or immediately upon, cargo arrival.
Authorities were further directed to examine existing procedures and identify opportunities to reduce cargo processing time through digitalisation, advance filing and improved coordination involving Customs, exporters, shipping lines, port operators and PSW stakeholders.
Textile exporters also highlighted longer transit times resulting from disruptions to international shipping routes, particularly those associated with the situation in the Red Sea. Route changes and extended vessel journeys have created additional challenges for export shipments and international cargo movement.
The minister said the concerns require both immediate operational measures and longer-term improvements in shipping connectivity. He said the issues raised by exporters would be addressed through a coordinated mechanism involving the relevant authorities and industry stakeholders.
It was agreed that Customs, exporters and PSW stakeholders would continue engagement through the relevant coordination mechanism, with follow-up discussions focused on cargo dwell time and scanning-related issues.
Junaid Chaudhry stressed the importance of practical measures to address port and customs bottlenecks affecting the competitiveness of Pakistan’s textile exports. He directed the relevant authorities to work with exporters, port authorities, Customs, PSW and shipping lines to improve cargo clearance efficiency and support shorter, more predictable transit times for textile shipments.
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