By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Djibouti, 27 August 2026 - Djibouti's Doraleh container terminal received the largest vessel in its history on Tuesday with the arrival of the 400-metre MV Benjamin Franklin, state media ADI reported.
The container ship, capable of carrying 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, docked at about 7 p.m. local time with a draft of 17 metres, according to ADI.
Four tugboats - Omar Dankali, Barkat Hamadou, Farah Hassan and Saad Warsama - each with a 65-tonne bollard pull, assisted the berthing operation handled by a Djibouti port pilot.
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Ports and Free Zones Authority Chairman Aboubaker Omar Hadi said the operation demonstrated the ports' ability to handle large vessels, citing staff expertise and available equipment.
Measuring 400 metres in length, the MV Benjamin Franklin is among the world's largest container ships.
The arrival comes as Djibouti seeks to strengthen its position as a regional maritime and logistics hub serving international shipping routes and Horn of Africa markets.