13th International Barracuda Exercise: Pakistan received global recognition for its effort on Maritime Safety, Global Partnerships & Climate Change.
Pakistan hosts 13th Barracuda Exercise on larger scale, focusing on marine pollution control, oil spill response, search and rescue, climate resilience, and global maritime collaboration. Key insights from Rear Admiral Shehzad Iqbal and Federal Minister Musadik Malik.
Karachi: Tariq Masaud Alyani
When PMSA raised flags in Headquarters (Karachi) to open the 13th Barracuda Exercise, it wasn’t just opening of another international drill, it was a global message. A message that, Pakistan is step forward as a responsible maritime nation, determined to enhance its competences for environmental protection, global cooperation, and disaster preparedness.
This year Barracuda is more effective, more extensive, and more strategically relevant than ever before. 40 delegates from more than 20 nations. Barracuda blends Sea Phase, Harbor Phase, and an expanded Land Phase, with Search and Rescue operations for the first time. The agenda is so simple: protect oceans, strengthen capacity, modernize regional coordination, and confront the growing threat of marine pollution.
Flag Raised for Global Mission:
The ceremony opened with hoisting of Pakistan’s flag together with the participating nations. Delegates gathered for an influential reminder: Because maritime security requires joint responsibility.
The event transitioned to the hotel in Karachi, where Federal Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadik Malik inaugurated the International Maritime Seminar, appeared by Pakistani and foreign experts. Their discussions spanned climate resilience, maritime economics, oil spill response, and the rising weaknesses of global ecosystems.
Rear Admiral Shehzad Iqbal: “The health of Ocean is responsibility of all of us”
Address to the conference, Rear Admiral Shehzad Iqbal, Director General PMSA, delivered an honest and compelling analysis on threats facing Pakistan’s maritime domain.
Coastal & marine pollution is a growing challenge, deepened by the movement of oil tankers and industrial maritime traffic.
Pakistan understandings marine pollution initiating from the Indian and Sri Lankan seas, making regional cooperation essential.
Oil and chemical discharge in the ocean are now “one of the biggest environmental concerns of our time.”
The impact of maritime pollution directly harms fisheries, marine biodiversity, and coastal infrastructure.
Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone plays a vital role in global oil trade, receiving a heavy volume of tanker traffic.
With huge imports of oil and chemicals to meet national energy demands, the risk of marine disasters increases meaningfully.
PMSA has modern equipment, advanced monitoring systems, and an active control mechanism to prevent and respond to maritime accidents.
Pakistan is always ready for global maritime partnerships, including protocols such as the Hong Kong Convention’s Green Ship Recycling standards.
PMSA has examined all Oil Marketing Companies operating in Pakistan to ensure safety.
Barracuda’s goal is to improve regional coordination, reinforce communication between institutions, and refine response procedures for emergencies.
He highlighted that coastal ecological recovery, after any spill or disaster “can take years,” reminding the audiences of the delicate nature of marine life.
Dr. Musadik Malik: “Nature is not indifferent to its own harm it is beyond our control”
Federal Minister for Climate Change portrayed attention to global inequities in pollution and climate funding.
Key Phrases:
Pollution is not by polymers themselves but by their careless use.
Plastic waste from industrialized countries is reaching the shorelines of Karachi and Ghana.
The world’s top 10 pollutant producing nations secure 85% of global green financing, while weak nations bear the greater environmental cost.
“no one listens when the developing world speaks.” At global climate forums.
Environmental damage affects the entire ecosystem of the planet.
He warned:
“Remember, if we disturb the seas, we disturb the entire Earth. Nature is not impervious; it is simply independent. If we fail to act, nature will not adjust for us.”
The government is focusing strongly on climate priorities, including removing encroachments from waterways within 300 days.
Barracuda 13: A Complete Environmental & Security Blueprint:
Barracuda is built around marine oil spill response, search and rescue operations, technology assessments, and international cooperation. This year’s expanded agenda includes:
Consolidation SAR (Search and Rescue) operations.
Testing modern maritime surveillance tools.
Evaluating global innovations in marine disaster management.
Sharing research on marine biodiversity protection.
Rear Admiral Shehzad Iqbal repeated that the core mission of Barracuda is:
“To improve local and international linkages, build capacity, and evaluate modern technologies that can protect our coasts and oceans.”
Barracuda Matters More Than Ever:
There are two provinces of Pakistan that have a direct connection to the sea, nearly 200,000 square nautical miles of the Pakistan’s coastline establishing an ecological zone. With rising marine traffic, exploration, and global climate shifts, the risks have multiplied.
Pakistan is responsible guardian of its maritime environment, building international trust, imitated in the durable participation from global partners this year.
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