National Business Services

What National Business Services does

National Business Services (NBS) is a privately held Pakistan-based customs clearance and project logistics firm founded in 1975 and headquartered in Karachi. The company provides an integrated suite of five core service lines: custom clearance across all Pakistani seaports, airports, and dry ports; freight forwarding and warehousing (air, sea FCL/LCL, chartering); project logistics for oversized and multimodal cargo; inland transportation of cleared cargo; and temporary import/re-export handling under TIR/ATA Carnet and bonded regimes. Its functional differentiator is deep regulatory specialization — particularly SRO 678 application for E&P and petroleum clients, 5th Schedule of Custom Act and 6th Schedule of Sales Tax Act duty exemptions for power projects, ship and floating craft clearance, and Repair/Replacement export procedures — capabilities built on 40+ years of operating relationships with Pakistan Customs and FBR officials.

The company's revenue model is professional services fees, quote-based and project-specific, with no public pricing tiers. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting large-scale infrastructure, power, petroleum, and construction clients, with a heavy concentration of Chinese state-owned EPCs and international contractors executing CPEC and adjacent projects. NBS operates four city offices (Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Gwadar) covering the country's customs gateways, and expanded internationally in 2022 with NBS Global Services FZCO in Dubai, UAE. The firm is family-owned (Shafi family), with the CEO holding 40+ years of industry experience and a leadership bench of seven managers each carrying 10-15+ years of customs and logistics domain tenure. Customer base spans 18+ named enterprise accounts including China State Construction, China Harbour Engineering, Sinohydro, Goldwind, Hub Power, Byco Petroleum, and Attock Petroleum.

Name

National Business Services

Legal name

National Business Services

Website

https://nbs.net.pk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

National Business Services is a Pakistan-headquartered customs clearance and project logistics firm founded in 1975, serving enterprise clients in petroleum, power, construction, and CPEC infrastructure sectors with specialized regulatory expertise and a Dubai-based international subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Customs Clearance and Project Logistics Services

NAICS

General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLACABAG

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance)

Transportation & Logistics/Freight Forwarding & Customs Brokerage/Ocean Freight Forwarding (FCL/LCL)

SECONDARYTLACABAE

Ocean Import Forwarding (Destination Handling/DO/ISF)

Transportation & Logistics/Freight Forwarding & Customs Brokerage/Ocean Freight Forwarding (FCL/LCL)

SECONDARYTLADAMAF

Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL)

Transportation & Logistics/Freight Transportation (Air, Maritime, Rail, Trucking)/Freight Brokerage Services

SECONDARYTLACAHAD

Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction)

Transportation & Logistics/Freight Forwarding & Customs Brokerage/Freight Documentation & Cargo Insurance Services (B/L, AWB, Certificates)

Keywords

• Customs clearance services
• Project logistics
• Freight forwarding
• Transportation services
• Temporary import export

Headquarters

HQ city

Karachi

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Customs Clearance Services: Professional customs clearance services for import and export goods across all Pakistani seaports, airports, and dry ports. Revenue generated through service fees based on cargo type, complexity, and regulatory requirements.
2. Project Logistics: Customized project logistics for oversized cargo, specialized lifts, and multimodal shipments for construction, mining, power, oil and gas, and steel industries. Turn-key and full logistics management services.
3. Transportation Services: Comprehensive transportation services for carrying customs cleared cargo from ports to any destination within Pakistan. Revenue from freight charges based on cargo category and distance.
4. Freight Forwarding & Warehousing: International freight forwarding services including air freight, sea freight (FCL and LCL), and chartering for project cargo. Integrated door-to-door solutions.
5. Temporary Import & Re-Export: Specialized services for temporary imports under various carnet schemes and subsequent re-exports, handling duty suspension procedures.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

National Business Services is a customs clearance and project logistics firm that handles import/export goods across all Pakistani seaports, airports, and dry ports. It delivers integrated freight forwarding (air, sea FCL/LCL, chartering), oversized project cargo logistics, port-to-destination transportation, and temporary import/re-export services, with deep specialization in CPEC power and infrastructure projects and complex SRO/tariff compliance.

Product overview

National Business Services offers a unified suite of logistics and customs clearance services. The core offering comprises five integrated service lines: Custom Clearance (country-wide clearance across all ports), Freight Forwarding & Warehousing, Project Logistics (for oversized cargo and complex projects), Transportation, and Temporary Import & Re-Export services. The company also operates NBS Global Services – FZCO as an international extension licensed in the UAE, extending freight forwarding, chartering, and logistics consultation services globally. The services are designed to work together as end-to-end solutions, from customs clearance through freight forwarding to final delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NBS Global Services: International logistics and freight forwarding subsidiary based in Dubai, UAE, offering freight forwarding, logistics consultation, chartering, FCL, LCL, air freight, and door-to-door services.

Products and services

• Custom Clearance Services Specialized customs clearance services for import and export goods across all Pakistani seaports, airports, and dry ports, covering petroleum products, power projects, ships, E&P sector, steel products, and other commodities for enterprise clients.
• Freight Forwarding and Warehousing Comprehensive international freight forwarding moving cargo by air and sea from origin to destination, with integrated warehousing capabilities for complete supply chain solutions, including FCL, LCL, and chartering for project cargo.
• Project Logistics Customized project logistics for oversized cargo, specialized lifts, and multimodal shipments serving construction, mining, power, oil and gas, and steel industries with turn-key and full logistics management services.
• Transportation Services Comprehensive transportation services carrying customs cleared cargo from Pakistani ports to any destination within Pakistan, with total care and commitment for any category of cargo.
• Temporary Import and Re-Export Temporary import services under TIR carnet/ATA Carnet, Standard Temporary Import, or Temporary Import under Bond, with re-export facilitation including releasing security/bank guarantees or post-dated cheques after re-export.
• NBS Global Services – FZCO International logistics operations licensed in UAE, offering freight forwarding, logistics consultation, chartering for project cargo, FCL/LCL shipping, air freight, and complete door-to-door services through the Dubai-based subsidiary.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully completed multiple large-scale CPEC projects including Gwadar Eastbay Expressway (2018-2021), Lowari Tunnel (2011-2016), and numerous power projects

Named customers18 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NBS Global Services – FZCOcoreOthersLicensed in the UAE for specialized shipping and logistics services. NBS Global Services FZCO extends the expertise and trusted leadership of NBS Pakistan to international operations, ensuring the same level of professional service recognized by clients for over 15 years. Located in Dubai, UAE.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DHL Global Forwarding: Global freight forwarding and customs brokerage arm of Deutsche Post DHL, with the broadest international network and standardized customs platforms. Competes for enterprise import/export clearance in Pakistan through global account wins and digital brokerage tools.
• Yusen Logistics: Japan-headquartered global logistics provider with freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and contract logistics operations across Asia. Relevant comparable for the Asian SOE customer base that anchors NBS's CPEC and enterprise work.
• DSV: Global transport and logistics major following the Panalpina and GIL acquisitions, with significant project logistics and customs brokerage presence. Competes with NBS for complex cross-border project mandates at global scale.
• Kuehne+Nagel: World's largest sea and air freight forwarder with global customs brokerage and project logistics capability. Operates broadly in Pakistan logistics and competes for enterprise customs mandates where scale, technology, and global account coverage matter.
• Expeditors International: US-listed global forwarder with strong customs brokerage and ocean/air freight capabilities. Provides a benchmark for technology-enabled brokerage that NBS must compete against as digitization of customs spreads.

Direct peers

• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Germany-headquartered forwarder with significant project logistics and customs brokerage operations globally. Comparable on complex customs regimes and project cargo execution, though with materially broader product breadth and geographic reach.
• Agility Logistics: Kuwait-headquartered emerging-markets freight forwarder with deep Middle East and South Asia footprint and project logistics capability. Comparable operating model and customer overlap in oil & gas, infrastructure, and government-linked projects.
• JAS Worldwide: Project logistics and freight forwarding specialist with strong energy, mining, and infrastructure sector presence. Comparable on oversized cargo and multimodal project logistics that mirror NBS's CPEC service offering.
• GAC Group: Global logistics provider with strong ship agency, freight forwarding, and project logistics capabilities across the Middle East and South Asia. Closely comparable on project cargo handling and emerging-market regulatory expertise that mirror NBS's CPEC work.
• Gerry's International: Pakistan-based freight forwarder and customs broker with similar service portfolio across Pakistan and select international markets. Operates as a direct competitor for Pakistani import/export clearance and project logistics mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nationalbusinessservices

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Business Services