Shipping costs up after India banned Pak ships from visiting

India’s ban on ships carrying Pakistani goods from anchoring at its ports has increased freight charges and transit time. Pakistani importers said the Indian ban has resulted in longer shipping times and higher freight charges, reports said. Javed Bilwani, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that mother vessels are not coming to Pakistan due to this Indian action, which delays imports by 30 to 50 days. He said importers are now relying on feeder vessels, which raises costs. Exporters also reported a spike in shipping and insurance costs following the Indian ban. However, they said the overall impact on exports remains minimal. Formal trade relations between Pakistan and India have remained frozen since 2019, and bilateral trade declined from $2.41 billion in 2018 to $1.2 billion in 2024. Pakistan’s exports to India decreased from $547.5 million in 2019 to just $480,000 in 2024, as per a report.

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