Somalia registers first national-flagged ship since state collapse

Thursday April 2, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia has taken a symbolic and practical leap in rebuilding its maritime future, officially registering its first vessel to sail under the national flag since the collapse of the central government in 1991, a development officials say restores a measure of the country’s long-dormant maritime sovereignty.

The vessel, Guney (IMO 8230417), was entered into the Somali register on Wednesday after completing the legal and regulatory steps needed for flag state recognition, the Ministry of Ports and Maritime Transport said.

Ports and Maritime Transport Minister Abdulqadir Mohamed Nur described the registration as a major advance in the effort to revive Somalia’s maritime institutions and win back international trust.

“Today marks an important moment that demonstrates Somalia’s return to its rightful place in international shipping,” Nur said at the announcement ceremony in Mogadishu.

The milestone comes after the ministry signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday with Somali Ship Register Limited, a private entity that will help establish an official registry for ships operating under the Somali flag. The agreement was signed by Nur and Çağdaş Oykun Saltaş, the company’s general manager.

According to the ministry, the new registry is intended to make it easier for shipowners to comply with international maritime standards while allowing vessels to register more efficiently under Somali jurisdiction.

Officials say the project is part of a wider government push to tighten oversight of Somalia’s vast coastline — the longest on mainland Africa — and to place the country on firmer footing in the global shipping and maritime services market.

Somalia’s maritime sector unraveled alongside state institutions in the early 1990s, leaving its waters vulnerable for years to illegal fishing, piracy and a lack of regulation. Since then, successive governments have tried to rebuild maritime administration, including developing coast guard capacity and reconnecting with international maritime organizations.

The ministry called on Somali businesspeople and shipowners to place their vessels under the national flag, framing the move as both a commercial opportunity and a contribution to the country’s recovery.

Officials said the registration of Guney is the first time in more than three decades that a Somali-flagged vessel has officially departed from Mogadishu under internationally recognized procedures.