Somalia revives maritime flag, registers first vessel in over three decades

Somalia has officially re-entered the world of ship registration this week, as the Federal Government’s Ministry of Ports and Maritime Transport (MPTS) logged the Somali-flagged vessel Guney (IMO No. 8230417) — a move aimed at rebuilding national control over the country’s maritime domain and jump-starting its blue economy.

The registration effort is designed to tighten how vessels flying the Somali flag are identified, regulated and managed, and it represents the first such flagging since the central government’s collapse in 1991.

The Ministry is urging shipping companies and vessel owners to seize the opportunity to register under Somalia’s flag, arguing that expanded domestic registration will bolster the maritime sector and inject revenue and jobs into the national economy.

Officials say the decision fits into a wider strategic blueprint and supports the Government’s National Transformation Plan (NTP), reflecting a push to grow Somalia’s blue economy and increase its participation in regional and international maritime trade.

– Horn Observer –