The Somali government has resumed the registration of international vessels sailing under the Somali flag. In April, Somalia registered its first commercial vessel capable of operating on international waters under the Somali flag, marking the first such registration in more than 30 years.
In a new move aimed at strengthening the country’s maritime transport sector and international trade, Somalia has launched its first direct shipping link between the Port of Mogadishu and Istanbul, with the goal of reducing shipping costs, shortening delivery times, and boosting trade between Somalia and Türkiye.
Under the new route, the vessel will transport goods from Somalia to Türkiye twice a month, including Somali agricultural products, while bringing Turkish goods and other products to Somalia, according to Turkish broadcaster TRT.
The report also said that Maersk, the world’s second-largest container shipping company, will begin transporting Somali products, particularly agricultural goods, to markets in Europe, the Mediterranean region, North Africa, the Gulf, India, and China.
In the opposite direction, goods from these markets will be shipped directly to Somalia, with transit times expected to fall to less than one month. This could reduce Somalia’s reliance on goods routed through ports in the United Arab Emirates, which in some cases have taken up to 50 days to reach Mogadishu.
The launch of the direct shipping route is seen as an important step toward revitalizing Somalia’s maritime sector and creating direct channels for Somali exports, particularly agricultural products, to regional and international markets, while also reducing import and export costs.
TRT also reported that Somalia is pursuing plans to build a new port outside Mogadishu that could become the country’s largest port. The project could further strengthen Somalia’s position as a major trade and logistics hub in the Horn of Africa.
