Somalia Explores China’s Port Development Model to Boost Maritime Trade

GOOBJOOG NEWS | NINGBO: Somalia is looking to China’s experience in port management and logistics as it seeks to develop its maritime infrastructure and strengthen its position in international trade, with a government delegation visiting one of the world’s busiest ports.

The delegation, led by Commerce and Industry Minister Jamal Mohamed Hassan, toured Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in China’s Zhejiang Province, where officials examined modern port operations, cargo handling systems and the links between shipping infrastructure and industrial development.

The Somali officials visited the port’s third container terminal, which handles more than 10 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually. They were briefed on transport and logistics services, port management systems and how efficient maritime infrastructure supports manufacturing, economic growth and international commerce.

The federal government of Somalia is seeking to attract investment into its ports and transport networks, using its strategic position along major shipping routes linking the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and Suez Canal.

With Africa’s longest mainland coastline, Somalia has significant maritime potential, but years of conflict and limited infrastructure investment have constrained the development of its ports and related industries.

The government has identified transport, logistics infrastructure, port development and industrial investment as priorities under its National Transformation Plan for 2025–2029.

The Ningbo-Zhoushan visit is part of a wider Somali engagement with Chinese institutions and businesses aimed at expanding trade and economic cooperation. Earlier this month, the delegation also visited commercial facilities in Yiwu to examine China’s digital trade systems and wholesale market operations.

Somalia has also been seeking to expand access for its products in the Chinese market, with more than 40 Somali companies participating in the China International Import Expo in Shanghai for the first time this year.

The government hopes closer commercial ties with China will help Somali businesses reach new markets while attracting investment into sectors including fisheries, livestock, manufacturing and port services.