Pakistan Launches Online Ship and Boat Registration
Pakistan has launched an online ship and boat registration system, allowing vessel owners to submit registration applications electronically without visiting government offices. The initiative aims to simplify maritime administration, reduce paperwork and improve access to digital vessel registration services.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced on Friday that the registration modules were fully operational following the completion of the necessary arrangements. The system is designed to improve transparency, reduce administrative costs for applicants and support an updated national database of registered vessels.
The Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), operating under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, is responsible for registering merchant ships, fishing boats, sailing vessels and harbour craft under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance and related laws.
The ministry is also preparing to introduce online registration fee payments. A meeting between MMD officials and the State Bank of Pakistan has been scheduled to discuss integrating an electronic payment mechanism into the system.
According to the minister, the online payment facility is expected to become operational within the next 15 days. Once available, it will enable applicants to pay registration fees electronically through a single payment link, further simplifying the vessel registration process.
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Digital Vessel Records Could Support Coastal Resilience
The minister said the digital registration initiative could also contribute to climate resilience in Pakistan’s coastal areas by providing a centralised database of fishing vessels and their owners.
If linked with climate-risk mapping, cyclone early-warning systems and fisheries management, these records could help authorities identify vulnerable fishing communities, strengthen emergency response planning and facilitate timely evacuations during extreme weather events.
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The initiative forms part of the government’s broader efforts to digitalise maritime administration and improve public service delivery. Its wider benefits will depend on the effective maintenance of vessel records and potential integration with relevant coastal risk-management and emergency-response systems.
