Somalia registers its first ocean vessel in over 30 years, named 'Güney,' marking a significant step in revitalizing its maritime industry.
Somalia has officially registered its first ocean-going vessel after more than 30 years, aiming to revitalize its maritime sector. The registration process, which took place on Wednesday, was completed as part of a project conducted by a Turkish company.
The general cargo ship, built in 1979 and with a capacity of 3,488 dwt, has been named 'Güney' (IMO: 8230417). It was previously operated under the Honduran flag and is reported to have served in the Black Sea under the name 'Volgo-Balt 217' as part of the Russian fleet. The ship, which is said to be Turkish-owned, flew the Somali flag after all necessary legal processes were completed. It has been reported that the vessel is still located in Turkey.
A Turkish businessman has taken a role in the registry management.
Somali Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur stated that this development symbolizes the restructuring of the country's maritime authority and expressed the aim of increasing the international credibility of the Somali flag.
In this context, Turkish businessman Çağdaş Oykun Saltaş has been appointed as the general director of the Somali ship registry. It was shared that Saltaş has approximately nine years of maritime experience on offshore vessels and has served as a fleet manager in an Istanbul-based maritime company.
New opportunities are expected to be created.
Additionally, it was stated that international support for the reconstruction of the country's economic and administrative structure continues under the National Change Plan, which was initiated in 2025 and is planned to last until 2029.
Goal: More ships under the Somali flag
The Somali government aims to encourage shipowners and maritime companies to register under the Somali flag. The ministry emphasized that this step is part of the country's goals to strengthen its maritime transport infrastructure and increase maritime trade.
It is known that Somalia's maritime infrastructure largely became non-functional following the collapse of the central government in 1991, during which illegal fishing and piracy activities increased. Particularly, piracy activities peaked in the mid-2000s, leading to the implementation of international maritime security operations.
According to current data, there are approximately 34 vessels registered under the Somali flag. These include cargo ships, as well as fishing boats and tugboats.
Emphasis on blue economy
Officials regard the reactivation of the ship registry as an important step in Somalia's 'blue economy' strategy. They believe that the collaboration established with the Turkish business community will contribute to sectoral development and economic growth.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
