Federal government: ministries and agencies
Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport of Somalia: what it does
Somalia's federal Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport makes the rules for ports, ships and seafarers, runs the Somali ship register and represents Somalia at the International Maritime Organization. In April 2026 it registered the first merchant ship under the Somali flag since 1991, and in June 2026 Somalia joined 15 IMO conventions at once. Abdulkadir Omar Moallim became minister in October 2026.
What it does
The ministry is the federal body for ports, shipping and the sea lanes. Its work, from its budget and reported activity:
- Ports: it oversees Mogadishu port, which is run under concession by the Turkish company Albayrak; the harbour fees it collects were US$38.1 million in 2025, one of the largest single non-tax revenue lines in the federal budget (Appropriation Act for 2027, as submitted). The budget also carries a separate line for Hamar Port (same source). See Ports.
- The ship register: it keeps the national register of ships flying the Somali flag, with a technical partner, Somali Ship Register Limited (Dawan Africa, 2 April 2026).
- Treaties and safety: it represents Somalia at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and prepares the maritime safety and pollution treaties that the cabinet approves (Dawan Africa).
- Research and training: the budget funds Somali Marine Research, and in 2026 the government set up a maritime academy (Dawan Africa).
Who leads it
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre appointed Abdulkadir Omar Moallim minister in October 2026 (Dawan Africa, October 2026). He replaced Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, minister from March 2025, who was elected Speaker of the House of the People on 10 August 2026 (Dawan Africa). Between the two, State Minister Mohamed Abdulkadir Dhucle acted as minister (same sources).
The money
From the federal budget (Appropriation Act for 2027, as submitted), where the ministry is listed as "Ministry of Transport and Ports":
| Line | 2025 actual (US$) | 2026 budget (US$) | 2027 proposed (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry | 1,503,888 | 2,587,240 | 1,872,880 |
| Hamar Port | 918,100 | 1,032,200 | 1,080,200 |
| Somali Marine Research | 590,544 | 594,548 | 638,528 |
What it reports doing
- First ship on the flag since 1991: on 1 April 2026 the merchant ship Guney (IMO 8230417) was entered on the register. The minister said: "This is the first time since the state collapse that a ship has been registered under Somalia's flag" (Dawan Africa, 2 April 2026). Earlier, the minister signed a memorandum to launch the national ship registry (SONNA).
- 15 IMO conventions: on 26 June 2026 Somalia deposited its accession to 15 IMO conventions at once, including SOLAS, MARPOL, COLREG, STCW, SAR and the Nairobi wreck removal convention. The minister said Somalia had ratified three maritime treaties before this (Maritime Africa, June 2026).
- Regional port checks: it welcomed approval of a regional port state control agreement on ship safety (Radio Dalsan).
- Partners: it signed maritime cooperation agreements with Türkiye (Dawan Africa; Anadolu Agency) and the cabinet approved one with Egypt (Dawan Africa). In 2026 the Turkish line Akkon started a direct service to Mogadishu (Dawan Africa).
How the work is shared
Somalia's other big ports are run outside the federal ministry: Berbera by Somaliland with DP World, Bosaso by Puntland with P&O Ports, and Kismayo by Jubaland. See Ports.
Its legal basis
The ministry's mandate from the Council of Ministers under the 2012 Provisional Constitution, as amended in 2024 and 2026, and the maritime laws and IMO conventions Somalia has joined.
Sources
- Appropriation Act for 2027, as submitted · mof.gov.so
- Dawan Africa, 2 April 2026 · dawan.africa
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
- Dawan Africa, October 2026 · dawan.africa
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
- SONNA · sonna.so
- Maritime Africa, June 2026 · maritimafrica.com
- Radio Dalsan · radiodalsan.com
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
- Anadolu Agency · aa.com.tr
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
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