ISLAMABAD: China’s Shandong Xinxu Group has shown strong interest in the Sea-to-Steel initiative at Port Qasim, Karachi, agreeing to submit a detailed unsolicited feasibility study for the proposed Integrated Maritime Industrial Complex (IMIC).
The development was announced following a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, aimed at fast-tracking the Sea-to-Steel initiative. The meeting focused on IMIC, a flagship project designed to modernize industrial operations through port infrastructure upgrades, shipbuilding and recycling facilities, and an integrated steel mill.
Officials from Shandong Xinxu and senior Ministry of Maritime Affairs representatives attended the meeting, while Port Qasim Authority Chairman Rear Admiral (R) Syed Moazzam Ilyas participated via video link. The IMIC project has three key components, including the revival and upgrading of the Iron Ore and Coal Berth (IOCB) jetty, which will handle ship recycling and repair.
Scrap material from these operations will be used to revive the steel mill, creating a “Sea-to-Steel Green Maritime Industrial Corridor” that links ship recycling with domestic steel production, aiming to reduce reliance on imported raw materials.
Shandong Xinxu will submit a comprehensive feasibility study covering financial assessments, structural and hydrographic analyses, and risk evaluations.
Minister Chaudhry emphasized that IMIC could become a cornerstone of Pakistan’s blue economy, generating industrial value through maritime assets. He added, “Once submitted, the proposal will undergo thorough review before any decision.
If approved, IMIC would be among Pakistan’s largest recent maritime and industrial investments, positioning Port Qasim as a regional hub for heavy industry and logistics.”Chaudhry also highlighted that integrated projects like IMIC could lower steel imports, boost domestic production, and create jobs, stressing that approval will depend on alignment with national priorities of employment generation, value addition, and sustainable development standards.
