By Asma Mohamud - Reporter
Somalia, 27 June 2026 – Somalia has joined 15 international maritime conventions, protocols and legal instruments as part of efforts to modernise its maritime legal framework, the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport said on Friday.
The ministry described the move as the country’s largest maritime legal reform since independence, saying it would help Somalia align with international rules on shipping safety, maritime security, seafarer standards and protection of the marine environment.
Somalia has the longest coastline in mainland Africa and sits near some of the world’s most strategic maritime routes, but the ministry said the country had joined only three international maritime agreements since 1960.
The new agreements cover areas including search and rescue at sea, seafarer training and certification, collision prevention, ship tonnage measurement, facilitation of maritime traffic and safety of life at sea.
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Other are oil pollution preparedness and response, compensation for pollution damage, prevention of pollution from ships, maritime security and wreck removal.
The ministry said accession to the agreements would strengthen Somalia’s ability to regulate vessels operating in its waters, protect seafarers’ rights and seek compensation in cases of marine pollution or maritime accidents.
It said the step was part of the government’s wider maritime reform agenda and aligned with Somalia’s National Transformation Plan.
The legal reforms come as Somalia seeks to upgrade its port and maritime infrastructure. The ministry said Mogadishu port has moved to 24-hour operations, while plans are under way to build a new international port outside Mogadishu, including a Special Economic Zone.