KARACHI: Karachi Port Trust commemorated World Ocean Day with a special ceremony with an aim to highlight marine conservation, sustainable practices and to underscore the oceans’ vital role in supporting life on Earth.

The event was graced by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh along with Chairman KPT Syedain Raza Zaidi, KPT General Managers, and other stakeholders.

Chairman KPT Syedain Raza Zaidi highlighted the potential of the Blue Economy and stressed the importance of harnessing the resources and the health of the oceans. He emphasized the significance of maritime trade for economic development, pointing out the crucial role of seas in facilitating global commerce.

Chairman KPT stressed upon the importance of preserving marine habitats and controlling various forms of sea pollution, including plastic, sewage, oil spill and factory waste, etc. in the Karachi harbor. He urged the adoption of international best practices in alignment with the theme of World Oceans Day 2024.

Chairman KPT directed all relevant departments to collaborate with other agencies and work diligently to conserve oceans and aquatic life.

Minister for Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, underscored the importance of marine conservation efforts, emphasizing the need to increase mangrove forests for the protection of marine life and coastal ecosystems. The Minister called for concerted action to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on the oceans, stressing the necessity of controlling human activities such as oil/carbon emissions, plastic pollution, which is significantly contributing to the degradation of ocean health at an alarming rate.

Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh urged global commitment to ocean protection, recognizing their crucial role in sustaining all life on Earth. Additionally, the Minister expressed the view that the abundance of marine resources will have a direct impact on the country’s balance of trade.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024