Special Report: Pakistan Navy showcases maritime potential and modernisation at PIMEC 2025

Adm Ashraf (second right) led maritime stakeholders in engaging on developments within Pakistan's maritime sector for PIMEC 2025. The expo and conference took place in Karachi in November. (Pakistan Navy)

The Pakistan International Maritime Expo & Conference (PIMEC) – a biennial event, the second iteration of which took place in Karachi, Pakistan, in early November – is being developed by its host, the Pakistan Navy, as a multinational forum for the service to engage with strategic partners in showcasing Pakistan's maritime potential.

Initiated by the Pakistan Navy, and organised under the auspices of Pakistan's Ministry of Maritime Affairs, PIMEC 2025 featured an exposition and international maritime conference running in parallel (the conference theme being ‘Harnessing Blue Economy Potential for Sustainable Development'). The combined events were designed to connect global maritime stakeholders to developments within Pakistan's maritime sector, and to align maritime security imperatives and commercial interests to build long-term, sustainable co-operation across the sector.

Pakistan's maritime potential – as demonstrated at PIMEC – falls into three categories, Chief of Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy Admiral Naveed Ashraf explainedto Janes: the significant strategic role the navy plays in providing regional maritime security, the naval capability it deploys and develops to underpin this role, and the opportunities for the navy and partners to collaborate on securing the country's ‘blue economy'.

“We are looking to foster partnerships that bring technological innovation, investment in maritime infrastructure, and capacity-building initiatives,” Adm Ashraf said.

The expo hosted displays from industry, other government stakeholders, and the navy.