The Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs has directed the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to quickly revise the Pakistan Merchant Marine Shipping Policy, focusing on maximum facilitation and removing existing constraints in the development of this sector.

The Senate committee, chaired by Senator Rubina Khalid, instructed that all stakeholders, including the shipping industry, should be taken on board while devising the policy, and inputs from the ministries of railways, water resources, and finance may also be sought in this regard.

The committee members noted a viable, result-oriented and practical policy for merchant marine shipping was the need of the hour. All the relevant laws, rules and policies must be in cohesion with each other to achieve the required results, they added.

During the briefing on Merchant Marine Shipping Policy 2001, the committee members questioned the reasons for continuing such a policy for two decades, which failed to achieve its set objectives. The policy measures also reflected inconsistency as different tax exemptions were withdrawn or made effective at different times without taking concerned stakeholders on board, they observed.

The committee chairperson expressed annoyance at the absence of senior officials of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs from the meeting. The committee was also offended by the absence of the secretary and additional secretary of the ministry and said that it was not acceptable.

The committee was briefed that the policy of 2001 was amended to provide incentives to the local shipping industry and was aimed at achieving set targets of growth by 2030 as it was an international best practice that nations around the world offer various incentives and flog protection to aid in the development of their national fleet.

Maritime expert Anwar Shah, while stressing the need for some quick fixes for the shipping industry, said the import of all edible and inedible commodities should be contracted on free on board basis, rather than cost insurance and freight, as it would reduce the import cost, but insurance and other charges are paid in the country.

He suggested ensuring the Trading Corporation of Pakistan’s imports through Pakistan flag carrier vessels and extending incentives to the national shipping industry and foreign fleets to employ Pakistani nationals.

Shipping company owner Naeem Sarfraz said that the industry did not need incentives but the removal of constraints. He also stressed the need to revisit the policy in consultation with all stakeholders in the shortest possible time.

Expert Captain Masood Alam and others said that the Directorate General of Ports and Shipping should invite the input of consultants, experts and all the other stakeholders for redrafting laws and policies governing the shipping sector in the country.

Senator Rubina Khalid said that currently there were no rules or regulations concerning the use of waterways for transportation in the country. She said the committee would take up the issue with the ministry of water resources as the use of rivers was a cost-effective means of transportation around the world.

She pointed out that content about marine life and resources was missing from the educational syllabus, leaving the younger generation unaware of an important aspect of the natural ecosystem and national economy.

The committee also suggested that visits of school children to ports and other maritime instalments, including the Karachi Port Trust, should be encouraged, and special segments be set up in museums on maritime to sensitise them about the subject.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk