Mogadishu Port: Powering Somalia’s Economic Comeback and Regional Trade Integration
Somalia’s largest harbour, the Port of Mogadishu, is fast emerging as a strategic hub in East Africa’s growing maritime economy. As regional trade intensifies among the ports of the Horn of Africa, Mogadishu stands out for its efficiency, modernization, and expanding capacity.
The 2024 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), published by the World Bank and S&P Global, ranked Mogadishu as the most efficient port in East Africa—ahead of regional giants like Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, and Djibouti. It also claimed the second position in Sub-Saharan Africa, marking a historic achievement for Somalia’s maritime sector.
Under the leadership of the Federal Government and the Mogadishu Port Authority, major infrastructure upgrades are underway. A new container terminal opened in August 2025, increasing capacity to 250,000 TEUs annually, easing congestion, and improving vessel turnaround time.
Plans are now advancing for a new state-of-the-art port, located 35 km outside Mogadishu. This ambitious project will include a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) featuring logistics hubs, light industries, and a transshipment area — turning Somalia into a gateway for trade, investment, and manufacturing across East Africa.
The port currently handles up to 2 million tonnes of cargo annually, generating vital federal revenue and thousands of jobs. Once the new expansion is complete, Mogadishu Port is projected to double its income to US$500 million by 2030 and create over 25,000 direct and indirect jobs.
With improved security, regional connectivity, and government-backed reforms, Mogadishu Port is not just rebuilding Somalia’s economy — it’s redefining the Horn of Africa’s role in global trade.
No comments:
Post a Comment