Capt. Zafar Iqbal Awan is a seasoned maritime professional and visionary leader with over thirty years of expertise spanning shipping, ports, and logistics. Rooted in a strong seafaring background and distinguished by his executive leadership, he has been instrumental in shaping Pakistan’s contemporary maritime and container terminal industry.

A graduate of the Pakistan Marine Academy (1974) and a Master Mariner Class-I (F.G.) in
1985, Capt. Awan began his career at sea, commanding both Pakistani and foreign-flag vessels before moving ashore in 1990.

He maintains active affiliations with leading international and national organizations, including the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA) UK, Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers, Royal Institute of Navigation, Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport, Nautical Institute, Master Mariners Society of Pakistan, and the Pakistan Belgium Business Forum.

Joining the Marine Group in early 1990, he later founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) in 2002. Under his leadership, PICT became one of Pakistan’s most significant BOT port infrastructure projects, securing a substantial share of the nation’s container trade against global competition.

Since 2017, Capt. Awan has held the position of Group Deputy Managing Director at the Marine Group of Companies, where he continues to expand the group’s portfolio and pursue new ventures in maritime and logistics. He also represents the group as a Director of PIBTL at Port Qasim.

Earlier in his career, he served as CEO of a shipping agency representing CMBT of Belgium, managing direct container services across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Widely respected for his strategic foresight, stakeholder trust, and industry leadership, Capt. Zafar Iqbal Awan remains a prominent and influential figure in Pakistan’s maritime sector.