Direct shipping from Karachi to Europe resumes after MSC move

Direct shipping between Karachi and seven European ports has resumed after MSC revived its weekly Premium I-Pak service, the maritime minister said.

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry shared news of the restoration on Thursday. Mediterranean Shipping Company, a Switzerland-based operator, ranks among the largest container lines in the world. It brought the direct shipping route back after exporters asked for a link to Europe.

The service will call at Karachi Gateway Terminal International every week. Its rotation covers Felixstowe, London Gateway, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Le Havre, with a stop in Colombo as well.

Why direct shipping matters for exporters

Textile exporters had recently met the minister to complain about vessels taking longer routes, especially because of the situation in the Red Sea. According to Chaudhry, those longer voyages raised freight costs and stretched delivery times to Europe and the US. As a result, Pakistani firms became less competitive.

The minister called the restored route an important step for industries that sell abroad, particularly textiles. He said exporters would now enjoy a more direct path to key European buyers and more choice when planning cargo.

However, Chaudhry warned that the move does not fix the wider problems in global shipping. Disruption to established routes continues to hit world trade, he said. The government, he added, is taking up the worries of exporters with shipping lines and others. It hopes to strengthen sea connections and clear logistics bottlenecks.

Chaudhry also praised Rear Admiral (retd) Shahid Ahmed, chairman of the Karachi Port Trust, and the management of Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited for their work on the link. For his part, Ahmed said work continues to improve how well the maritime logistics network performs.

Europe as a key export market

The European Union ranks among the largest buyers of Pakistani goods. Trade data cited by the Pakistan Business Council showed the bloc bought about 29 percent of all Pakistani exports in 2025. Moreover, textiles and clothing make up roughly three quarters of what Pakistan sells to the bloc.

Under the GSP+ scheme of the EU, many Pakistani products, including textiles and garments, enter European markets free of duty or at lower tariffs. Even so, exporters still struggle with high production costs, expensive energy and logistics hurdles.

Other carriers have also brought back direct calls at Karachi. The India North Europe Express, a weekly joint service involving HMM, Ocean Network Express and United Marine Agencies, links Karachi Port with London Gateway, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Antwerp. In addition, WEC Lines runs regular weekly direct sailings to northwest Europe.

Separately, MSC runs another direct route to Europe from the SAPT terminal at Karachi Port. Its ships reportedly reach Felixstowe in about 30 days and Rotterdam in about 32. Thanks to these restored calls, the Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index of Pakistan has reached a reported record of 343.

For textile, farm and manufacturing exporters, more direct shipping should mean shorter delays and better access to space on vessels heading for their biggest overseas customers.