China Harbour Engineering pitches $522m first phase for Keti Bunder port

China Harbour Engineering pitches $522m first phase for Keti Bunder port

Splash PortsAugust 24, 2026 462 1 minute read

China Harbour Engineering Company has put forward a $522m first-phase plan for a new deepwater port at Keti Bunder in Pakistan’s Sindh province.

The Chinese contractor presented a conceptual masterplan to Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari on Monday, outlining a multi-terminal maritime gateway with associated logistics infrastructure. The first phase would centre on a multipurpose terminal with 500 m of quay, carrying a preliminary engineering cost estimate of $522.34m.

The scheme remains at an early stage, with financing and an implementation structure yet to be settled. Zardari called for further technical work between CHEC and Pakistani authorities and said any port development would need supporting road links, power, water and industrial infrastructure.

Keti Bunder, located in the Indus Delta, has featured in Pakistan’s port development plans for years as a potential additional gateway to Karachi and Port Qasim.

Sindh has also previously looked at positioning the location as an energy and logistics hub. Provincial investment material has identified around 4,000 acres for development at Keti Bunder and outlined longer-term plans for port, rail and supporting infrastructure.

Zardari also called for the latest proposal to take account of the Indus Delta ecosystem and local fishing communities as the masterplan is developed.