Russia and Pakistan have stepped up trade cooperation with the first-ever direct shipping service between the countries.
A deal has been agreed between non-vessel operating carrier Pak Shaheen of Pakistan and Russian liner player Neco Line, the Hortidaily website reported.
The first call took place at Karachi on 25 May, when a vessel called the Crystal docked, domestic reports said.
This appears to be Neco Line’s 5,500-dwt multipurpose Crystal Vladivostok (built 2002), which had travelled from St Petersburg.
The new route is aimed at providing access to Russian markets for Pakistani exporters, and vice versa.
Payments will be made through local banks in Chinese yuan.
Russia has been strengthening ties with its non-western allies, following sanctions related to the Ukraine war.
The government has agreed a shipbuilding pact with Iran to construct a fleet of vessels to ply routes to Iran and India.
Russia and India had already announced plans to cooperate on trade and shipbuilding.
The Russia-flag Neco Line ship has now left Karachi and was heading for Port Klang in Malaysia.
Pak Shaheen chief executive Abdullah Farrukh said the route will allow for shipments of textiles, sports goods, surgical items, salt, rice, fruit and veg and more.
‘Significant step’
“It is a significant step in the current economic situation of the country and will support Pakistani exporters who were otherwise sending their products through transhipment,” he told the Fresh Plaza website.
Pakistan’s minister for maritime affairs Faisal Subzwari, chairman of Karachi Port Trust Raza Zaidi and Russia’s consul general Andrey Fedorov welcomed the ship, which took 21 days to reach the port.
Subzwari hailed the deal as a landmark success for the government.
Pakistan’s exports to Russia stand at $150m per year, with imports at around $300m.
But this new route is expected to boost exports to $2.5bn in the coming years.
