Newfoundland and Pakistan can convert post-COVID momentum into durable partnerships – linking offshore energy, green hydrogen, fisheries, ocean tech and maritime education – to create jobs, diversify markets and scale innovation while building resilient, rules-based supply chains for both economies.
Key points
- Green signal: Newfoundland and Labrador approved World Energy’s Nujio’qonik project – aiming for ~250,000 t/yr green hydrogen (as ammonia) powered by >3 GW wind; a future pillar for South Asian energy security via portfolio offtake. Reuters+1
- Seafood scale: NL’s seafood industry regularly tops C$1B in export value; snow crab alone accounted for C$437M in landed value in 2024 – reliable cold-chain partners for Pakistan’s urban markets. Seafood Producers+1
- Ocean tech hub: Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, with active NL-led projects (e.g., BridgeVUE navigation AR), is a ready conduit for Pakistan port/logistics pilots and maritime safety upgrades. oceansupercluster.ca+1
- Offshore energy today: NL offshore production averaged ~209 kb/d in 2024 (Hibernia, Hebron, Terra Nova, White Rose), positioning marine engineering and safety services for Pakistan’s coastal energy and port sectors. capp.ca
- Talent bridge: Memorial University’s Marine Institute runs global maritime training and mobility initiatives – templates for Pakistan maritime academies, ports and fisheries departments. mi.mun.ca+1
Why Newfoundland–Pakistan and why now?
Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) is a blue-economy and offshore engineering jurisdiction with a rising green-hydrogen profile, competitive seafood sector and deep maritime training capacity. Pakistan – 240 million people with a long coastline and major ports (Karachi, Port Qasim, Gwadar) – is modernizing energy, food systems, and logistics. Post-COVID, the fit is clearer than ever.
Energy transition meets energy reality. In April 2024, NL approved World Energy GH2’s Nujio’qonik – a commercial-scale green hydrogen/ammonia project targeting about 250,000 tonnes per year, powered by >3 GW of wind across multiple sites on NL’s west coast. For Pakistan’s utilities and industrials, this creates future portfolio offtake for diversification-decarbonization and ammonia co-firing options – either direct or through regional swaps with traders serving South Asia. Reuters+1
Meanwhile, offshore oil remains a present-day pillar: NL output averaged ~209,000 barrels/day in 2024 from four FPSO-based fields. The supply chain expertise – marine operations, HSE, cold-ocean engineering – is highly transferable to Pakistan’s coastal energy infrastructure (ports, SPMs, storage) and to offshore safety and digital asset integrity programs. capp.ca
Fisheries & cold-chain: dependable protein, premium standards
NL’s seafood engine – snow crab, shrimp, lobster, groundfish – has scale and certification. The province reported C$437M in snow crab landed value in 2024; shellfish landings totaled ~138,000 tonnes. The Seafood Producers of Newfoundland and Labrador note >C$1B in annual export value – resilience Pakistan can leverage for urban retail and HORECA segments. Pakistani importers can pair NL’s consistent specs with co-packing and Halal compliance to target premium consumers in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador+1
- Actionable first steps:
- Pilot NL–Pakistan cold-chain corridors via reefer containers and quality monitoring;
- Co-develop traceability labels and nutrition branding;
- Use Pakistan’s seafood-processing base to shape value-added products for domestic and Gulf markets.
Ocean tech & ports: safer waters, smarter logistics
NL companies and labs belong to a growing ocean-technology cluster – autonomy, sensors, marine data, AR/VR training. Through Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, projects like BridgeVUE deploy augmented reality to enhance navigation safety -highly relevant for Pakistan’s busy harbors. Pakistan port authorities can trial pilotage aid, berth allocation analytics and VTMS enhancements with NL partners, then scale region-wide. oceansupercluster.ca+1
People and systems matter. Memorial University’s Marine Institute offers applied maritime programs and overseas mobility pathways – ideal for joint certificates, port-operations micro-credentials and search-and-rescue/oil-spill response training with Pakistan’s maritime agencies and universities. mi.mun.ca+1
Green hydrogen & ammonia: pragmatic pathways to offtake
The Nujio’qonik program targets phased delivery with wind-to-hydrogen-to-ammonia conversion on NL’s west coast. For Pakistan, the collaboration logic is threefold:
- Portfolio strategy: Secure ammonia supply as a future low-carbon fuel/feedstock, even if near-term deliveries are via regional swaps;
- Industrial pilots: Test ammonia co-firing in cement or power;
- Standards & safety: Co-develop H2/ammonia handling protocols and emergency response with NL specialists (an area where offshore HSE experience transfers well). Reuters
What the numbers say (post-COVID signals)
Table 1 — Newfoundland & Labrador: scale that Pakistan partners can plug into
|
Indicator |
Latest datapoint |
Why it matters |
|
Green hydrogen (Nujio’qonik) |
Target ~250,000 t/yr H₂ (as NH₃), >3 GW wind |
Future low-carbon molecules for South Asian portfolios; standards & safety know-how. Reuters |
|
Offshore oil production (2024) |
~209 kb/d (Hibernia, Hebron, Terra Nova, White Rose) |
Marine ops & HSE expertise applicable to Pakistan’s coastal energy and port assets. capp.ca |
|
Snow crab landed value (2024) |
C$437M |
Stable, certified protein supply; pricing cycles manageable with LT contracts. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador |
|
Seafood export profile |
>C$1B annual value (multi-year) |
Scale and quality assurance for Pakistan retail/HORECA, plus co-packing options. Seafood Producers |
Table 2 — Priority collaboration lanes (low-risk first)
|
Lane |
NL advantage |
Pakistan entry point |
|
Cold-chain seafood |
Consistent specs; certifications; scale |
Urban retail/HORECA; traceability pilots and brand building. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador+1 |
|
Ocean safety & port tech |
Supercluster projects (e.g., BridgeVUE AR), marine data |
Pilotage aids, VTMS/berth analytics in Karachi/Port Qasim. oceansupercluster.ca |
|
Maritime training |
Marine Institute programs + mobility |
Joint micro-credentials; SAR/spill-response training. mi.mun.ca |
|
Offshore engineering services |
FPSO; asset integrity |
Coastal energy infrastructure upgrades and emergency planning. capp.ca |
|
Green hydrogen/ammonia |
Approved flagship project; HSE capability |
Portfolio offtake, co-firing pilots, safety protocols. Reuters |
What each audience can do next
- Policymakers: Establish a Newfoundland–Pakistan Blue & Green Corridor Taskforce (semi-annual) to align port protocols, H2/NH₃ standards, SPS and cold-chain rules; set KPI dashboards using fisheries and port data to measure progress. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador+1
- Investors: Start cap-light: seafood brand partnerships with NL suppliers; port-tech pilots through Supercluster consortia; ammonia portfolio MOUs with optionality for swaps; and offshore services for coastal infrastructure. oceansupercluster.ca+1
- Academics: Build MI–Pakistan micro-credentials in port ops, safety and fisheries management; co-supervise applied research on cold-chain analytics and H2/NH₃ safety; pursue joint labs tied to port authorities. mi.mun.ca
- General public & diaspora: Champion NL seafood and Pakistan brands through culinary festivals and trade days in St. John’s/Karachi; support internships that shuttle maritime talent both ways. mi.mun.ca
Conclusion
Under explored Newfoundland & Pakistan relations provide potentials for mutual growth. NL’s approved green-hydrogen project, world-class seafood sector and ocean-tech ecosystem meet Pakistan’s needs for reliable energy vectors, premium protein and smarter ports. Offshore HSE/engineering expertise and Marine Institute training can accelerate safety and productivity across Pakistan’s coastal economy. Start with services-first pilots – cold-chain, port navigation and training – while negotiating portfolio NH₃ offtake pathways. As data and trust accumulate, scale to bankable projects and standardized trade lanes. Done right, the North Atlantic–Arabian Sea corridor will deliver quality jobs, resilient supply chains and climate-aligned growth for both partners. Reuters+2Government of Newfoundland and Labrador+2
* Dr. Muhammad Jahanzaib is the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer (CVO) of Diamanium Thinkers, a global think tank. He holds a PhD in International Relations, specializing in the intersection of politics and economics in Pakistan’s foreign and domestic policy. A double gold medalist and published scholar, he writes on economic intelligence, economic diplomacy, political economy, AI and regional cooperation in South Asia and beyond. He can be reached at jahanzaibdgc@gmail.com.
Key references (titles & URLs)
- Canadian province approves World Energy’s Nujio’qonik hydrogen project (2024) — https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/canadian-province-newfoundland-labrador-approves-world-energys-hydrogen-project-2024-04-09/
- About Project Nujio’qonik (World Energy GH2) — https://worldenergygh2.com/about/
- Seafood Industry Year in Review 2024 (Gov. of NL) — https://www.gov.nl.ca/ffa/files/Seafood-Industry-Year-in-Review-2024.pdf
- Industry Insights – Seafood Producers NL — https://seafoodproducers.org/industry-insights/
- Canada’s Offshore Oil & Gas Industry (CAPP, 2025) — https://www.capp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Canadas-Offshore-Oil-Gas-Industry-September-16-2025.pdf
- Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (portfolio) — https://oceansupercluster.ca/what-we-do/projects/
- BridgeVUE NL-led navigation AR project (Ocean Supercluster) — https://oceansupercluster.ca/project/bridgevue-project/
- Marine Institute – Memorial University — https://www.mi.mun.ca/
- MI International – mobility/training opportunities — https://www.mi.mun.ca/departments/miinternational/internationalopportunities/