DP World
Terminal Operator
DP World runs Qasim International Container Terminal, its main foothold in Pakistan, as part of a global network handling roughly a tenth of the world's container traffic. Here's what the company is, and how Maalbardaar clears cargo through the terminal it operates here.
About DP World
DP World was formed on 28 September 2005, merging the state-owned Dubai Ports Authority with Dubai Ports International into a single global terminal operator headquartered in Dubai. It floated a minority stake — roughly 19.55% — on Nasdaq Dubai in 2007, but that free float was bought back in 2020 by Port & Free Zone World, a subsidiary of the state holding company Dubai World, returning DP World to full Government of Dubai ownership. It is not a publicly traded company today.
The company’s scale is difficult to summarise with a single stable figure — its own marketing pages have stated country counts ranging from roughly 40 to 84 and terminal counts from 60 to 78 depending on when the page was published. The most reliable numbers are its own financial results: DP World’s FY2025 results, published in March 2026, report 93.4 million TEU of gross throughput across the group and total port capacity of 109 million TEU, alongside record revenue of $24.4 billion.
In Pakistan, DP World’s presence centres on Qasim International Container Terminal at Port Qasim, where it holds a 75% stake — a position it acquired through its 2006 purchase of P&O Ports, the company that had originally developed the terminal. The remaining 25% is held by International Terminal Holding Limited, a Pakistan-based partner.
Working with DP World terminals in Pakistan
QICT is the terminal to know. If you are shipping through a DP World-operated facility in Pakistan, it is almost certainly Qasim International Container Terminal at Port Qasim — see the QICT page for berth-level detail, capacity and tracking.
Tracking is more direct than at some other Pakistani terminals. DP World runs its own tracking site at dpworldkarachi.com for QICT and also supports SMS-based tracking, which is worth using if you want a status check independent of your carrier’s system.
Global scale figures need a source check. If you see a DP World country or terminal count quoted elsewhere, check which year and which page it came from — the company’s own published figures have varied noticeably over time, which is normal for a firm that grows by acquisition and periodically restates how it counts its holdings, but it means older figures should not be treated as current.
Maalbardaar’s role here is the same as at every terminal we work with: our licensed agents file customs declarations through WeBOC and Pakistan Single Window for cargo moving through QICT, and we coordinate the freight forwarding required to get it there in the first place — regardless of which company operates the berth your cargo lands on.
Clearing and forwarding cargo through DP World
Customs clearance
Our licensed clearing agents file your Goods Declaration through WeBOC and Pakistan Single Window for cargo moving through DP World, with HS code classification handled up front to reduce assessment delays and demurrage risk.
Customs clearance services arrow_forwardFreight forwarding
Whether your shipment is arriving by sea or air, we coordinate the booking, inland pickup and CFS/CY delivery so cargo destined for DP World lands where it needs to be — and moves on schedule once it clears.
Freight forwarding services arrow_forwardDP World questions
Is DP World a private company?
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No — it is wholly owned by the Government of Dubai, through the state holding company Dubai World and its subsidiary Port & Free Zone World. DP World was briefly partly listed on Nasdaq Dubai from 2007, but that free float was bought back in 2020 and the company returned to full state ownership.
What does DP World operate in Pakistan?
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Its main Pakistan operation is Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT) at Port Qasim, where DP World holds a 75% stake alongside a 25% holding from International Terminal Holding Limited, a Pakistan-based partner. The stake traces back to DP World's 2006 acquisition of P&O Ports, which had originally developed the terminal.
How large is DP World globally?
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DP World's own FY2025 results report 93.4 million TEU of gross throughput across the group and total port capacity of 109 million TEU. Older DP World marketing pages give inconsistent country and terminal counts — we use the FY2025 figures because they are the most recent and are DP World's own reported numbers rather than promotional copy.
Can I track a container at a DP World terminal in Pakistan?
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Yes, through QICT specifically — DP World runs a dedicated tracking site at dpworldkarachi.com and also offers SMS-based tracking by texting a container number to a published number.
Does Maalbardaar work with DP World-operated terminals?
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Yes. Our licensed clearing agents file Goods Declarations through WeBOC and Pakistan Single Window for cargo discharged at QICT, and we coordinate freight forwarding for cargo destined there as part of the same booking — the same service we provide across every terminal we work with, regardless of operator.
Shipping through a DP World terminal?
Get a quote for customs clearance and freight forwarding, handled by a licensed local team.
Shipping through somewhere other than DP World?
Maalbardaar provides customs clearance and freight forwarding services for cargo moving through DP World. We are not the operator or authority of this facility, and this page is independent, informational content rather than an official listing. For official information, visit DP World's own website . Facility data sources: Founding (28 September 2005, merger of Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International) and current 100% Government of Dubai ownership (via Dubai World / Port & Free Zone World, following a 2020 buyback of the ~19.55% free float listed on Nasdaq Dubai since 2007) confirmed via Wikipedia and Gulf News reporting on the delisting. Group throughput and revenue figures are DP World's own FY2025 results release (published March 2026), the most recent and authoritative figures available — chosen over older DP World marketing pages that state inconsistent country/terminal counts (40 vs 84 countries, 60+ vs 78 terminals depending on the page). QICT ownership split (75% DP World / 25% International Terminal Holding Limited) from Business Recorder reporting. This page deliberately omits several reputationally contested news stories about DP World's parent group that surfaced in 2026, as they are unsettled and not relevant to describing the company's terminal operations.