Direct Weekly Shipping From Karachi to Europe Is Back, Says Pakistan's Maritime Ministry

Pakistan's Maritime Affairs Minister announced on 8 October 2026 that a direct weekly container shipping service between Karachi and Europe is back. The shipping line MSC has reinstated its PREMIUM IPAK service, which calls at Karachi Gateway Terminal and then sails to eight ports.

The ministry says exporters had been using longer and costlier routes because of shipping disruptions, including changes to Red Sea routes. A direct service should cut transit time for goods bound for Europe. No start date for the first sailing was given in the announcement.

This report sets out what the ministry said, what is still unknown and what exporters should confirm before they book space.

The ministry announced the restored service on 8 October

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced that MSC has reinstated its PREMIUM IPAK service. The Press Information Department published the statement on 8 October 2026. The service calls weekly at Karachi Gateway Terminal International.

Karachi Port Trust Chairman Rear Admiral (retired) Shahid Ahmed and the management of Karachi Gateway Terminal were named as supporting the move. The minister said longer vessel journeys had been raising transport costs and delivery times for shipments to European and US markets.

The service connects Karachi with eight named ports

The ministry lists Colombo, Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Le Havre and London Gateway as the connected ports. Colombo is in Sri Lanka, and the other seven are in Europe. The service runs once a week.

The order of ports in a loop matters to exporters, because it decides how many days a box spends at sea before it reaches its port. The announcement did not give the rotation order or sailing days, so we cannot say which port is reached first.

Exporters were using longer routes before this

The minister said shipping disruptions, in particular changes to routes through the Red Sea, had forced Pakistani exporters onto longer and more costly voyages. Textile and other export industries depend on regular container space to Europe, so delays hit delivery dates and prices.

A restored direct call helps only if the space is available at a fair rate. The ministry said the service reduces transit times, lowers logistics costs and improves competitiveness, but it published no figures. We treat those benefits as the ministry's claim until exporters and the shipping line give actual transit times and freight rates.

What exporters should confirm before they book

Before moving cargo to this service, ask the shipping line or its agent for the first sailing date, the cut-off times at the terminal, the transit time to your port and the freight rate. The ministry's statement does not include these.

Use this short checklist:

1. Ask for the first sailing date from Karachi and the weekly day of call.
2. Ask for the transit time to your destination port, not the average for the loop.
3. Confirm which Karachi terminal handles your container and its cut-off time.
4. Get the freight rate and any surcharge in writing.
5. Check that your export documents are ready in the customs system, as explained in our guide to registering for exports on WeBOC.

Why a direct call matters for Pakistani exports

A direct call means the ship leaves Karachi for Europe without moving your box to another vessel at a hub port first. Each transfer adds days and a risk of delay. Fewer transfers usually mean steadier delivery dates for buyers.

The effect on prices depends on demand. Export figures for the year are tracked in our report on Pakistan's IT exports in August 2026, and the wider push for exporters is covered in the guide to the export accelerator programme. Neither deals with shipping, but both show how the government is trying to help exporters.

What is still unknown about the service

Several key details are missing from the announcement. It gives no first sailing date, no sailing day each week, no ship size and no freight rates. Until MSC or its agents publish them, exporters cannot compare this service with the routes they use now.

The ministry also did not say how long the service will run. A restored service can be changed again if shipping conditions shift. We will add the schedule here as soon as it is published by the shipping line or the terminal.

Common questions about the Karachi to Europe service

Which shipping line runs the restored service?

Mediterranean Shipping Company, known as MSC. The service is called PREMIUM IPAK, according to the Maritime Affairs Ministry.

Where does the ship call in Pakistan?

At Karachi Gateway Terminal International, once a week.

Which European ports does it connect?

Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Le Havre and London Gateway, plus Colombo in Sri Lanka, per the ministry.

When does the first ship sail?

The announcement did not say. Ask MSC or its local agent for the schedule before you plan a shipment.

Will freight rates fall?

The ministry says logistics costs will fall, but it gave no rates. Freight prices depend on demand and space, so ask for a written quote.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 8 October 2026. All facts on this page come from Press Information Department release 85 of 8 October 2026 on the restored direct service. We have not seen a schedule or rate notice from the shipping line, so sailing dates, transit times and freight rates are unconfirmed. We will update this page when the schedule is published.