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By Njeri Irungu,
\nNovember 17,2026
\nNairobi, Kenya.<\/p>\n
Regional states are pushing for deeper cooperation in the shipping and maritime sector, citing shared sea routes, common service providers and interconnected ports that collectively serve more than five countries at a time. Officials say harmonising maritime policies is now urgent to allow vessels to move freely within African waters, strengthen inter-regional trade and attract private investment into the shipping industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe share so much as regional states \u2014 the maritime passage, international service providers and ports that are essentially regional hubs,\u201d one official noted. \u201cWhat we are saying is that we need to work together as a region and operate as one maritime territory.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the centre of these discussions is the proposed regional cabotage protocol, which aims to align national maritime policies into a unified framework. The protocol is expected to create an environment where indigenous vessels can operate across the region without restrictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe purpose of the protocol is to create one region within the bigger region, and to make indigenous vessels feel like they are at home,\u201d the official said. \u201cWith harmonised policies, vessels should be able to move around, pick cargo and deliver it freely across the region.\u201d<\/p>\n
A major driver of this initiative is the consistently low rate of intra-African trade, currently estimated at just 16 percent. Leaders argue that weak connectivity has forced African countries to import goods from outside the continent\u2014even when their neighbours produce the same products.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are importing things from abroad that our neighbours are already producing because we simply lack connectivity,\u201d an expert noted. \u201cIf we truly want to unlock African trade, then we must use our waters to connect the continent.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Africa has long invested in road, rail and air networks, officials now argue that maritime integration is the missing link. \u201cAfrica is a continent, but it is also an island,\u201d one participant remarked. \u201cWe have several seaports \u2014 why not create a framework that connects Africa through the waters?\u201d<\/p>\n
Questions also arose around visa requirements for seafarers, given that many African citizens still need visas to travel from one African country to another. Officials clarified that maritime crews operate under international shipping protocols.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe crew members use maritime passports, what we call passbooks,\u201d the official explained. \u201cThis enables them to move around the region without being subjected to rigid immigration rules.\u201d<\/p>\n
They added that the upcoming regional protocol mirrors the system used by truck drivers transporting goods across East and Central Africa, where predefined arrangements allow seamless border crossings. \u201cJust like drivers moving from Mombasa to Bujumbura don\u2019t need stamps at every border, we want the same smooth movement for vessels and seafarers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite the fact that 80 to 90 percent of global trade is transported by sea, Africa contributes less than 10 percent to this maritime activity. Yet African economies depend heavily on imports delivered through ocean transport.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis tells you why Africa must take the maritime sector seriously,\u201d an official stressed. \u201cIf we ignore it, we will always remain consumers of international shipping instead of being active participants.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked about the number of vessels on the continent, officials noted that the figure is fluid due to continuous private investment. \u201cEvery day new vessels are being introduced,\u201d one expert said. \u201cWhat matters is that we are seeing an increasing trend in vessel investment, especially in the cosmopolitan Kagwazi region and with established players like the Ethiopia Shipping Line.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, they highlighted the need for financial institutions to make maritime investment more accessible.
\n\u201cIf you walk into a bank for a car loan, they will process you immediately,\u201d the official said. \u201cBut if you say you want to buy a vessel, they don\u2019t even know where to start. We are talking to banks so they can develop proper maritime financing products.\u201d<\/p>\n
As efforts to ratify the regional cabotage protocol advance, leaders are optimistic that harmonised policies, improved connectivity and greater investor confidence will transform Africa\u2019s maritime landscape.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the right framework, we can promote inter-regional trade, connect our ports and give private investors the confidence to invest in vessels,\u201d the official concluded. \u201cThis is how we begin to truly connect Africa \u2014 through the waters.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Njeri Irungu, November 17,2026 Nairobi, Kenya. Regional states are pushing for deeper cooperation in the shipping and maritime sector,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,108,153,107],"tags":[192,193],"class_list":["post-4289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business","category-general-news","category-news","category-transport-and-logistics","tag-maritime","tag-moesna"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4289"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4289\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4305,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4289\/revisions\/4305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsroomhub.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}