Ethiopia’s largest commercial vessel, the Abay II, arrived for the first time at the port of Djibouti on June 25, 2023. Photo Credit: FBC/Yonathan Yoseph.
According to the Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Company (ESL), the Ethiopian government has ordered the purchase of six new commercial vessels to boost Ethiopia’s export and import cargo capacity.
According to the Fana News Agency, two of the six vessels Ethiopia is purchasing have been ordered and have now arrived in Ethiopia and are operational. The two vessels, which are Ultramax dry bulk carriers, can each carry 62,000 tonnes.
The vessels to be purchased will also include ETU container carriers, which can carry 3,000 to 4,000 containers at a time.
The remaining vessels are expected to arrive in Ethiopia next year, playing a major role in trade, especially in the import and export of goods, which will contribute to the economic growth of Ethiopia, which is currently the fifth richest country in Africa.
Ethiopia currently has a fleet of 10 merchant ships, including the 63,000-ton Abay II, while others range in size from 26,000 to 27,000 tons.
Ethiopia’s order for new ships comes at a time when it is keen to gain access to the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean. In particular, talks are underway with the Somali government in this regard.