On the azure coastline of the Arabian Sea, a giant ship loaded with containers slowly docks. In early April 2026, Gwadar Port completed the loading and unloading of its first ship of 1900 tons of international transit cargo, with the whistle sounding as if announcing the beginning of a new era. Just a month ago, this deep-water port set a milestone record: completing 11000 TEUs of container transshipment in a single month, while the total transshipment volume of ports in Pakistan for the whole year of 2025 was only 8300 TEUs. Behind the data lies a wave of quietly reshaping shipping routes and trade patterns, and Gwadar Port is firmly standing at the forefront of this trend.

The transformation of Gwadar Port from a barren coastline to a modern port lined with cranes is the culmination of more than ten years of hard work and wisdom by the builders of China and Pakistan. As the leading project and strategic pivot of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, it is no longer just a concept on the map, but has proven its potential as a new hub for regional connectivity through solid data and increasingly busy scenes.

Operational data witnesses a leap forward

Nowadays, Gwadar Port has three deep-water berths capable of accommodating 50000 ton ships, with a channel depth of 14.5 meters, and comprehensive capabilities for handling bulk cargo, containers, roll on/roll off cargo, and oil products. Hardware is the foundation, operation is the key. By 2025, the port will achieve a cargo throughput of approximately 547000 tons, showing a steady growth trend. By 2026, its growth curve will sharply rise.

The breakthrough progress in international transit business is the core engine of growth. In the past, goods came here mainly for the purpose of entering and leaving Pakistan; Nowadays, more and more international cargo ships choose Gwadar Port as a transit station for routes between the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia. This means that the function of ports has undergone a qualitative change, from a terminal to a key hub node in the logistics network. This transformation not only brings about a surge in throughput data, but also implies a geometric growth in port influence and economic value.

A new industrial city is rising

The busyness of the port terminal is just the prologue of the story. What truly brings vitality to Gwadar Port is the 280 hectare free zone behind it. This is not a uniform factory building, but rather a clear division of labor between the north and south.

Southern District, specializing in commercial logistics and services. Cold chain warehouses, seafood processing plants, and logistics companies have all settled in and started operating. Enterprises can enjoy highly attractive policy benefits such as a 23 year tax exemption period and one-stop approval provided by the Pakistani government here, and a port based commercial ecosystem has begun to take shape.

Turning our attention to the northern region, it has reserved space for more "heavyweight" industries. The physical industries such as manufacturing, new energy equipment, and light processing in Lingang will be the future masters here. This coincides with the core positioning of the transformation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor 2.0 from a "channel economy" of "road construction and port building" to an "industrial economy" of "landing and rooting". The blueprint of a virtuous cycle of "using ports to develop cities and cities to promote ports" is becoming a reality, as ports attract logistics, logistics drive industries, and industries prosper.

Building a solid foundation for development

The prosperity of any world-class port and city cannot be achieved without strong and comprehensive "logistical" support. The "bones" of Gwadar Port have been forged stronger in the past few years.

At the beginning of 2025, Gwadar New International Airport, with a runway of 3658 meters and the ability to take off and land large wide body aircraft, will officially open for air and sea transportation, achieving seamless integration. The Dongwan Expressway is like an artery, efficiently connecting the port with the inland. The upcoming seawater desalination plant will completely solve the long-standing problem of freshwater that has hindered development. Electricity, communication, and road networks continue to upgrade, jointly building the operational framework of modern port cities.

More important than steel and cement is a safe and stable 'soft environment'. As a symbol of all-weather strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan, the safety of Gwadar Port is given priority. The Pakistani government and military continue to strengthen the security system of the port area and surrounding land routes, providing solid guarantees for all people who invest, work, and live here, ensuring that the developing trains can move at full speed on a peaceful and stable track.

From a single point on the map to a new hub for regional shipping, from an infrastructure blueprint to a hotbed of industrial agglomeration, Gwadar Port has demonstrated what "win-win development" means with its steadily rising data and ever-changing appearance. It is not only the golden benchmark of China Pakistan friendship, but also the vivid practice of the principle of joint consultation, joint construction and sharing under the the Belt and Road Initiative, injecting a sustained and strong impetus into the common development of regional economy.Editor/Yang Meiling