Somalia announced on 2 April that it has officially registered the first vessel to sail under the country’s flag since the collapse of state institutions during the 1991 civil war.
The Ports and Marine Transport Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur said in a statement that on 2 April, the vessel Guney was formally registered under the flag of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The minister described the registration as “symbolizing the revival of Somalia’s maritime authority and the renewed credibility of the Somali flag,” marking the first such registration in more than three decades.
He encouraged shipowners and maritime businesses to register their vessels under the national flag.
The announcement follows the adoption of national legislation and compliance with international maritime regulations necessary to establish Somalia’s ship registry.
With a coastline stretching over 3,330 kilometers (2,069 miles) along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, Somalia has the longest coastline in mainland Africa.
