Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced that a bill to grant degree-awarding status to the Pakistan Marine Academy will soon be presented to the National Assembly, enhancing the country’s maritime education.

During his visit to the academy, he was briefed by Acting Commandant Muhammad Asif Farooq on institutional developments. Chaudhry noted that consultations with stakeholders were complete and the bill would be tabled for approval soon.

Farooq highlighted training initiatives under the prime minister’s maritime sector reform, including specialized training for personnel at the Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim Authority, and Gwadar Port Authority. He also noted that 14 instructors became qualified trainers, boosting training capacity.

Financial support of Rs. 421 million for phase one development projects will come from CSR contributions. Chaudhry urged the academy to expand training programs for students from Balochistan, with additional support from relevant commissions and programs. The upgrade aims to modernize the maritime sector and develop a skilled workforce for regional and international demands.

Emphasising inclusivity, Junaid Chaudhry directed the academy to expand its training programmes to students from Balochistan. He added that assistance would also be sought from the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission and the Benazir Income Support Programme to support the initiative.

The move to upgrade the academy is a part of broader efforts to modernise the maritime sector and build a skilled workforce to meet growing regional and international demands, the minister added.