Vessel

A US military strike on an alleged drug-trafficking vessel killed two people, pushing the reported death toll from Washington’s campaign against what it calls “narco-terrorists” in Latin America to at least 182. In a post on X, US Southern Command, which oversees American forces in the region, said the military had "conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organisations." It said intelligence had determined the vessel was moving along established drug-smuggling routes in the Eastern…

Saturday April 11, 2026 Türkiye is preparing to launch its first deep-sea drilling project abroad, a milestone that Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Friday in Mogadishu will usher in a new era for the country’s energy ambitions. The Curad-1 well, located offshore Somalia, is the centerpiece of the effort. Situated about 372 kilometers from Mogadishu, the well will probe a geological formation flagged as promising after months of seismic work carried out by Türkiye's Oruc Reis vessel.…

Türkiye’s deep-sea drilling vessel Çağrı Bey has reached Mogadishu, setting the stage for Somalia’s first offshore oil drilling campaign, officials from both countries said Friday. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar described the mission as “historic,” saying it would “open a new chapter in Turkish energy history.” The work stems from a hydrocarbon agreement signed in 2024, which gave Türkiye’s state-owned energy company TPAO the right to explore three offshore blocks, each covering about 5,000 square…

Will XavierTuesday April 7, 2026 An Iranian-flagged dhow that had been seized off Somalia’s coast has been freed after sustained pressure from EU naval forces, with the vessel now back under control and its crew accounted for, Operation Atalanta said. The Alwaseemi was hijacked on March 24, roughly 400 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, according to the mission. A warship and other Atalanta assets kept the fishing boat under close watch in the days that followed. "The pirates left the fishing vessel as a result of the…

Wednesday April 1, 2026 Somalia has been stepping up its push for a larger role on the world stage in recent years. / Others Somalia has moved a significant notch closer to putting its flag on ships sailing abroad after signing an agreement to establish the Somali Ship Registry system. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Mogadishu on Sunday between Somalia’s Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport and Somali Ship Register Limited, a privately owned company. In a statement, the ministry said the partnership is…

Hargeisa, North Western State of Somalia — A cargo vessel carrying hundreds of livestock from North Western State of Somalia sank Friday off Yemen’s southern coast near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising urgent questions over the fate of its seven crew members and renewed concerns about the safety of the regional maritime livestock trade. The wooden vessel, which departed the Port of Berbera, went down near Ras al-Ara in Yemen’s Lahj province, according to local sources. It was reportedly transporting about 400 sheep and 150…

Chinese fishing vessel and crew freed after seizure off Puntland State following China–Somalia coordination MOGADISHU — A Chinese fishing vessel seized by armed men off the coast of Puntland State was released along with all crew members after coordinated efforts by China, Somalia’s federal government and Puntland State authorities, officials said Tuesday. The vessel was freed on March 2 in what the Chinese Embassy in Mogadishu described as a peaceful resolution reached through close consultations between Somalia’s federal…

Türkiye sends drilling vessel to Somalia for historic offshore energy mission MERSIN, Turkey — Türkiye’s new deepwater drilling vessel, the Cagri Bey, departed Mersin Port on Sunday bound for the Somali coast to begin its first international offshore energy assignment, marking a significant step in Ankara’s drive for energy independence. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced the deployment as part of a broader strategy to expand oil and natural gas exploration. Drilling operations in Somali…

Greek authorities say 14 people were killed when a coast guard patrol vessel collided with a small high-speed boat carrying migrants in the Aegean Sea off the island of Chios, near the Turkish coast. The coast guard said 24 migrants were rescued from the water and two members of the patrol crew were taken to a hospital. A search-and-rescue operation, including a Greek air force helicopter, continued into the evening as officials looked for additional survivors. A coast guard official said the collision involved a port police…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali pirates hijacked a Chinese fishing vessel off Puntland State on New Year’s Day, seizing the Liao Dong Yu 578 near the coastal town of Bandarbeyla in what authorities say appears to be a ransom-driven attack. The European Union Naval Force, which monitors shipping in the region, confirmed the incident as Puntland State security forces launched an operation to track the ship and secure the crew’s release. The crew’s number and condition were not immediately known, and local officials provided no…