# Port of Kismayo (Dekada Kismaayo) > The Port of Kismayo in facts: its building in 1964, bananas and the 1984 refurbishment, control after 2013, livestock and charcoal, Jubaland's revenue, the UAE agreements and the 2026 dispute. Source page: https://calankii.com/en/economy/port-of-kismayo/ Last checked: 2026-11-12 Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com) ## The short version Kismayo lies on the Indian Ocean near the mouth of the [Jubba River](/en/regions/jubba-river/). Its port is the main port of [Jubaland](/en/states/jubaland/) and the far south, and one of Somalia's four main ports with Mogadishu, Berbera and [Bosaso](/en/regions/bari/) ([Ministry of Commerce and Industry, National Export Development and Promotion Strategy](https://moci.gov.so/en//wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NATIONAL-EXPORT-DEVELOPMENT-AND-PROMOTION-STRATEGY-FOR-SOMALIA_Final-Report.pdf)). For all four ports, see [Somalia's seaports](/en/economy/ports/). ## Building the port, 1964 to 1984 - **1964:** the modern port was built with United States help, and the former island was joined to the mainland by a causeway ([Wikipedia, Port of Kismayo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Kismayo)). - **1966:** a CIA handbook described the port as mainly an outlet for **bananas** and other farm produce, able to take only shallow ships; larger ships were unloaded by small boats offshore. A plan for completion by 1967 provided four protected berths for 10,000-ton ships (same source). - **After 1969:** the port served the Somali navy and the Soviet navy (same source). - **1984:** Somalia and the United States refurbished the four-berth wharf of about 630 metres (same source). ## Control after 2012 In August 2013 an agreement placed the port under the [Juba](/en/economy/farming-and-harvests/) Interim Administration, with management to pass to the federal government after six months and port revenue set aside for Jubaland ([Wikipedia, Port of Kismayo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Kismayo)). Disputes over control of the port and its revenue were reported at the time ([VOA via GlobalSecurity, 28 May 2013](https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2013/05/mil-130528-voa03.htm)). ## Livestock and charcoal - In June 2016 the port's general manager, Ahmed Haji Adan, said a shipment of **1,200 cattle** to the [United Arab Emirates](/en/relations/uae/) was the first livestock shipped from Kismayo in "more than two decades" ([Garowe Online, 15 June 2016](https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia-first-livestock-exported-at-jubalands-kismayo-port-in-25-years)). - The Ministry of Commerce and Industry says Mogadishu and Kismayo handle far smaller volumes of livestock than Berbera and Bosaso and lack specialised equipment ([National Export Development and Promotion Strategy](https://moci.gov.so/en//wp-content/uploads/2026/05/NATIONAL-EXPORT-DEVELOPMENT-AND-PROMOTION-STRATEGY-FOR-SOMALIA_Final-Report.pdf)). See [Livestock exports](/en/economy/livestock-exports/). - Kismayo was the main exit point for charcoal before the UN ban of 2012; in 2023 the UN Security Council allowed a one-off sale of the stockpiles there. See [The charcoal trade](/en/economy/charcoal-trade/). ## Jubaland's revenue In 2025 Jubaland had total revenue and grants of **$70 million**. Its own revenue was **$37 million** ($28 million from taxes, $9 million from other sources), and external grants were **$33 million**. It spent $68 million, $41 million of it on staff pay ([Central Bank of Somalia, Annual Report 2025](https://centralbank.gov.so/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Annual-Report_2025.pdf)). The Central Bank collects trade data by product for the ports of Mogadishu, Bosaso and Kismayo every quarter (same source). See [Money of the federal member states](/en/economy/member-states-money/). ## The UAE agreements and the 2026 dispute - **December 2022:** [Garowe Online](/en/economy/somali-media-companies/) reported that the DP World affiliate running Berbera and Bosaso was "moving to take over" Kismayo port. No terms were reported ([Garowe Online, 23 December 2022](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/after-djibouti-failure-dp-world-heads-up-somalia-for-controversial-port-projects)). - **12 January 2026:** the federal government cancelled all agreements with the United Arab Emirates, including port arrangements at Berbera, Bosaso and Kismayo ([Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/12/somalia-cancels-all-agreements-with-uae-over-alleged-sovereignty-violations)). - **13 January 2026:** Jubaland, with [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/) and [Somaliland](/en/states/somaliland-1991-to-2026/), rejected the decision, saying Mogadishu had no legal authority to stop agreements the regions had made directly with the UAE ([Garowe Online, 13 January 2026](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-s-uae-deal-suspension-draws-strong-rejection-from-federal-states)). ## Sources disagree - **Who controls the port.** The 2013 agreement provided for federal management after six months, while Wikipedia lists Jubaland as the port authority ([Wikipedia, Port of Kismayo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Kismayo)). Jubaland in 2026 described its port agreement as its own to make (Garowe Online, above). - **Terms of any UAE deal.** No published source found as of 12 November 2026 gives the date, value or operator of a Kismayo port agreement with the UAE or DP World. --- I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. Fix this page: email hello@calankii.com with the page link and your source.