Gwadar port in Pakistan and Chabahar port in Iran are strategically important ports being developed with the involvement of China and India respectively. While Gwadar is located on the Arabian Sea near Iran's border and is a key part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, Chabahar provides India access to Central Asia and Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan. Both countries view the ports as important for economic and political reasons, but there is also potential for increased cooperation between the two ports if peace and stability can be maintained in the region.

1. Athar Hussain
Comparative Analysis of Gawadar
and Chabahar Seaports

2. Comparative Analysis of Gawadar and
Chabahar Seaports
Having 72 KMs of difference, Chabahar and Gawadar
advanced the new era of globalization, economic
development and regional harmony. This is the
reason that erupted interests of superpowers to make
it ineffective strategically.

3. Gawadar Port:
 It is a port on the southwestern coast
of Balochistan, Pakistan. The port is located on the
shores of the Arabian Sea near the border with Iran,
and is located to the east of the Persian Gulf and
opposite to Oman.
 Gwadar features heavily in CPEC, and is also
envisaged to be the link between the One Belt, One
Road and Maritime Silk Road project.

4. Gwadar and its Multiple Destinations
4
Gwadar and its Destinations

5. Chabahar Port
 Chabahar Port is situated on the Makran Coast at
Sistan of Iran and is officially declared as a free trade
and industrial zone by the Iranian government. Its
location is closest to Central Asia and Afghanistan
market. It has proximity to the most of the largest
energy resources of the world.
 They foresee that Chabahar Port as an instrument in
their policy to escape international isolation.

7. Why there is need to compare
both ports??

8. Why Needed?
One is managed and operated by China in Pakistan
while other by India in Iran. It is naturally a
defending stimulus for both countries. Specially
when it is concerned with survival and
growth(Economic).

9. Iran’s interest:
 Port of Bandar Abbas in Iran is situated on the Strait of
Hurmuz leading to the Persian Gulf. This is problematic
for Iran because of the high traffic and probably the
penetrations of US Navy.
 Chabahar is strategically between the oil-rich Middle
East, which is economically the shortest route to the oil-
rich Central Asian States through land-locked
Afghanistan, and heavily populated South Asia. It is at
the mouth of the Gulf through which 40 per cent of
world's daily oil passes.
 Iran gets funding from India for the management of
chabahar (which is supported by America in order to
cutdown china’s activity) to reach markets of Europe,
Asia and African continents.

10. India’s Interest:
 India has been trying her the best to make pakistan
isolated and ineffective .
 They wants to have survillance on CPEC through
chabahar.
 Through chabahar, they can ensure her presence at
Afganistan in order to destablize Balochistan.
 Technically, it is providing an alternative route to
china by connecting 21st Century Maritime Silk
Route.

11. China’s Interest:
 It is going to help china by reducing it production
cost. China can recover its over all cost of production
in one years with full functionality of Gawadar.
(46bln to 56 bln $).
 It will help china to materialize one belt one road (40
Countries via road) and 21st century maritime goals.
 Xinjiang (less developed eastern province of china)
having lots of problems covering around 70% of total
area with 6% of its population will be developed with
this activity.

12. China’s Interest:
Short Distance and Low Cost
Europe to Western China Route
 Distance will be reduced by 50%
 Cost of transportation will be lowered by 50-65%
 Time cut by 50%
Middle East to Western China Route
 Distance will be reduced by over 80%
 Cost of transportation will be lowered over 75%
 Time cut by over 85%
Safer Route
 60 percent of China’s imported oil comes from the Middle East, 80 percent of that is
transported to China through the Strait of Malaaca
 CPEC will allow China an alternative route, to move energy and goods to inland China without
going through the Strait of Malacca (bypassing an entire region influenced by the US and India)

13. China’s Interest:
Distance will be reduced by 50%
Distance will be reduced by over 80%

14. Strategic Comparison Factors
 Both have evolved master plan to create economic, trade
and transport ties with region.
 As long as peace and tranquility prevails in the region
and there is no cutthroat competition between two ports
 On one hand Gawadar has serious security threats and
on other hand Chabahar is at daunting position due to
unstable Afganistan.
 Any transport or defense problems in the Strait of
Malacca, the Strait of Hurmuz and the Suez will promote
the significance of Central Asia as a strategic trade
corridor.

15. On Positive side:
 Capacity of Chabahar port is 10-12 million ton/year
 Capacity of Gawadar port is 400 million ton/year
which is almost equal to the 212 ports of india in
aggregate. Even long beach port of American ports
has capacity of 80 million tons.
 It is believed that full operational Gawadar would be
regional hub for international trade.

17. BANDAR ABBAS

18. Seaports can be Classified:
Depth of Seaports
Number of Berths
Labour Cost

19. Depth of Seaports
 Gawdar Port (Pakistan) 17.1 M to 18.2 M
 Karachi Port (Pakistan) 9.4 M to 10 M
 Jebel Ali Port (UAE) 15.5 M to 16 M
 Khor Fakkan (UAE) 16 M
 Chabahar (Iran) 11 M
 Salalah (Oman) 10 M
 Dammam (KSA) 9 M

20. Number of Berths
 Gawadar Port 120
 Karachi Port 33
 Jebel Ali Port 67
 Bandar Abbas Port 24
 Chabahar Port 10
 Salalah Port 19
 Dammam 39

21. Labor Cost:
 In labor rate Pakistan is cheapest among the region
and providing cheap manpower in comparsion to
other seaports.

23. Thank You