PK Prefix and Three-Character Location Code
A code such as PKKHI combines PK for Pakistan with the three-character location element KHI. The complete code is used to identify a location in shipping, customs and transport data systems.
Seaports in Pakistan: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026)
Pakistan has 28 ports and terminals indexed in the Ecer Freight database and serves as a major Arabian Sea gateway for South Asian trade, with Karachi and Port Qasim handling most containerised and bulk cargo.
Explore Pakistan port codes, cargo gateways, regional logistics clusters and indicative trade lanes for 2026 planning.
Pakistan Port Overview
Pakistan’s maritime network is concentrated on the Arabian Sea coast, while inland freight gateways connect manufacturing centres such as Lahore, Faisalabad and Sialkot with Karachi-area terminals. Indexed coverage and published throughput statistics are different measures and should not be treated as equivalent.
28
Pakistan ports & terminals indexed in our database
Ecer Freight database · Nov 2026
41.65m
Karachi Port cargo handled, 2024–25; YoY change not stated in the cited public summary
KPT 2024–25 statistics
1.21m
Port Qasim container throughput, 2024–25; YoY change subject to source reconciliation
PQA 2024–25 statistics
33
Karachi Port berths, 2025; YoY change not stated in the cited public summary
KPT 2025 port information
How many seaports does Pakistan have?
Pakistan has 28 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight in its Pakistan database snapshot for Nov 2026. This is an indexed coverage figure, not a claim that every facility has the same operational or legal status.
What is Pakistan’s largest or busiest port gateway?
Karachi is the principal container and general-cargo gateway in the indexed sample, represented by PKKHI and several terminal-level records including PKKCT, PKQCT and PKPCT. Port Qasim, listed as PKQAS, is another major national cargo gateway.
Which regions handle most Pakistan sea freight?
The Karachi metropolitan port cluster and the Port Qasim industrial area handle most Pakistan sea freight, while Gwadar and other Makran Coast facilities provide additional Arabian Sea and regional logistics capacity.
Top Pakistan Ports and Freight Terminals
The table below prioritises the most commercially relevant records in the supplied Pakistan sample. Publicly comparable 2025 TEU and year-on-year figures are not consistently published for every terminal-level record, so unavailable rank, throughput and change fields are shown together as “—” rather than inferred.
Pakistan port and terminal ranking, indicative 2025 data availability
| World rank | Port | UN-LOCODE | 2025 throughput (M TEU) | YoY change | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Karachi | PKKHI | — | — | Karachi |
| — | Qasim | PKQAS | — | — | Port Qasim |
| — | Karachi International Container Terminal | PKKCT | — | — | Karachi |
| — | Qict, Karachi | PKQCT | — | — | Karachi |
| — | Pict, Karachi | PKPCT | — | — | Karachi |
| — | South Asia Pakistan Container Terminal | PKSAP | — | — | Karachi |
| — | Gwadar | PKGWD | — | — | Makran Coast |
Pakistan Port Regions and Cargo Roles
Pakistan’s indexed records combine seaports, container terminals and inland freight gateways. City and province fields below follow the supplied first-party sample; a blank province indicates that no province value was supplied for that record.
Karachi Harbour Cluster
The Karachi cluster supports containerised imports and exports, general cargo, project freight and connections to Pakistan’s main industrial and consumer markets.
Karachi-area port and terminal records
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karachi | PKKHI | Karachi | General cargo and container gateway |
| Karachi | PKKAR | Karachi | Port and cargo operations |
| Karachi International Container Terminal | PKKCT | Karachi | Container handling |
| Qict, Karachi | PKQCT | Karachi | Container handling |
| Pict, Karachi | PKPCT | Karachi | Container handling |
| South Asia Pakistan Container Terminal | PKSAP | Karachi | Container handling |
Port Qasim and Muhammad Bin Qasim
Port Qasim serves industrial, energy, bulk and container cargo flows around the eastern Karachi metropolitan area.
Port Qasim-area records
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qasim | PKQAS | Qasim | Container, bulk and industrial cargo |
| Muhammad Bin Qasim | PKBQM | Muhammad Bin Qasim | Industrial and bulk cargo |
Makran Coast
The Makran Coast provides Pakistan’s western maritime access, with facilities that may serve regional, fishing, coastal, project or developing commercial cargo roles subject to operational confirmation.
Makran Coast records
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gwadar | PKGWD | Gwadar | Deep-water and regional development gateway |
| Gwadar | PKGWA | Gwadar-area maritime record | |
| Pasni | PKPSI | Pasni | Coastal and fishing-related cargo |
| Pasni | PKPAS | Balochistan | Coastal maritime operations |
| Jiwani | PKJIW | Jiwani | Coastal maritime operations |
| Ormara | PKORW | Ormara | Coastal maritime operations |
| Ormara | PKORM | Balochistan | Coastal maritime operations |
| Keti Bunder | PKKBU | Keti Bunder | Coastal and local cargo |
Inland Freight Gateways
Inland records connect production centres to Pakistan’s seaports through road and rail corridors. They are not substitutes for seaports and may require inland-terminal or customs-status confirmation.
Inland logistics records in the Pakistan sample
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lahore | PKLHE | Lahore | Inland container and manufacturing gateway |
| Sialkot | PKSIA | Sialkot | Export manufacturing gateway |
| Sialkot | PKSKT | Sialkot | Inland freight and export gateway |
| Faisalabad | PKLYP | Faisalabad | Textile and manufacturing cargo |
| Faisalabad | PKFAI | Faisalabad | Inland freight gateway |
| Islamabad | PKISL | Islamabad | Inland distribution gateway |
| Multan | PKMUL | Multan | Inland agricultural and general cargo |
| Peshawar | PKPES | Peshawar | Inland distribution gateway |
Pakistan Port Codes and UN/LOCODE Structure
Pakistan port codes in the supplied database use the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 prefix PK followed by a three-character location identifier.
City-Level and Terminal-Level Records
The database may contain both city-level records such as Karachi and terminal-level records such as Karachi International Container Terminal. These records should be checked against the booking party, terminal operator and shipping line instructions.
How to Verify a Port Code
Cross-check the location against the UNECE UN/LOCODE reference and compare it with the Ecer Freight Port Codes directory before preparing shipping documents.
Shipping from Pakistan: Main Trade Lanes
Indicative transit times depend on the confirmed terminal, carrier rotation, transshipment plan, equipment availability, customs clearance and seasonal operating conditions.
Pakistan to China
A frequent regional lane for manufactured goods, machinery, consumer products and project cargo, with schedules varying by carrier and direct or transshipment routing.
Pakistan to Southeast Asia
Containerised textile, agricultural, consumer and industrial cargo commonly moves through carrier networks linking Pakistan with Southeast Asian production and distribution centres.
Pakistan to Europe
European services support textiles, apparel, leather goods, sports goods and other manufactured exports, generally using hub-based or direct mainline networks.
Pakistan to the Middle East
Shorter regional services connect Pakistan with Gulf markets for food products, consumer cargo, construction materials and industrial shipments.
Data Sources and Methodology
The page separates first-party indexed coverage from official or institutional operating statistics. Port names and codes in the tables are restricted to the supplied Pakistan sample.
- Ecer Freight Ports Database — first-party indexed coverage of 28 Pakistan ports and terminals, database snapshot Nov 2026.
- UNECE — UN/LOCODE structure and location-code reference framework.
- Karachi Port Trust — Karachi Port operational information and published cargo statistics, including the 2024–25 reporting period where available.
- Port Qasim Authority — Port Qasim cargo, terminal and operational information, including the 2024–25 reporting period where available.
- Pakistan Ministry of Maritime Affairs — national maritime-sector context and official policy information.
Pakistan Port FAQ
How many seaports does Pakistan have?
Pakistan has 28 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight in the Nov 2026 database snapshot. The figure describes indexed coverage and may include city-level, terminal-level and inland freight records.
What is the main port in Pakistan?
Karachi is the principal Pakistan port gateway in the supplied activity-ranked sample, with PKKHI and multiple Karachi terminal records. Port Qasim, represented by PKQAS, is also a major cargo gateway.
What is the UN/LOCODE for Karachi?
The supplied Pakistan sample includes PKKHI and PKKAR for Karachi, as well as terminal-level records such as PKKCT, PKQCT, PKPCT and PKSAP. The correct code depends on the location and terminal required by the shipment.
Which Pakistan regions are most important for sea freight?
The Karachi Harbour cluster and Port Qasim industrial area are the most important sea-freight regions. Gwadar and other Makran Coast facilities provide additional western maritime access, while Lahore, Sialkot and Faisalabad connect inland production with the coast.
Are all 28 indexed Pakistan records seaports?
No. The 28-record indexed figure can include seaports, container terminals, city-level port records and inland freight gateways. Shipment planning should confirm the physical terminal, customs point and carrier booking location.
How current is the Pakistan port data?
The database coverage snapshot is Nov 2026, while the most recent complete statistical year used for comparable review is 2025. Port schedules, terminal availability, congestion, charges and transit times remain subject to confirmation.
How can a shipper request a Pakistan sea-freight quotation?
Provide the origin or destination city, confirmed Pakistan port or terminal, cargo description, package details, weight, volume, equipment type, Incoterm and expected shipment date when requesting an FCL or LCL quotation.
Editorial note: Pakistan port codes and indexed coverage are maintained in the Ecer Freight database and reviewed against publicly available port authority, maritime-sector and UN/LOCODE information. Coverage is updated as database records change, while throughput, berth, schedule and transit-time figures are reviewed against the latest available annual or operational sources.
Ecer Freight · Seaports in Pakistan: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026) · Data reviewed quarterly · Port Codes · Ports by Country · Contact