Somalia Extends Cargo-Tracking Rules to Berbera Port

On 18 November 2025, Somali Guardian reported that Somalia has extended its electronic cargo tracking rules to Berbera port in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland. The report says a decree issued in September (the year is not stated) requires every vessel to obtain an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) before arrival, “irrespective of the administrative arrangements” of the port it is calling at, according to Mogadishu.

Ships that fail to comply will face penalties, the federal government said, although the report does not give penalty amounts, a legal basis or an enforcement start date. Carriers must upload a bill of lading, commercial invoice and freight invoice to the government’s portal to secure the electronic authorisation, the government said.

The federal government maintains that the ECTN system is a standard regulatory tool designed to improve maritime security, curb smuggling and ensure accurate revenue collection, according to the report. No revenue figures, security data or smuggling volumes are cited.

The move deepens a dispute with Somaliland, which has operated independently since 1991 but is not internationally recognised. For weeks, Hargeisa has pushed back against implementation of Somalia’s new e-visa system, which airlines began applying to passengers flying into Somaliland despite the region’s objections, Somali Guardian reported. Officials in Somaliland have also challenged Mogadishu’s control over national airspace, including skies above their territory.

Ismail Ahmed, founder of WorldRemit and a Somaliland advocate, told Somali Guardian: “This mirrors the e-visa scandal: weaponising technical systems to entrap Somaliland. Once international carriers and insurers adopt a compliance rule, reversing it becomes extremely difficult. That is the danger.”

Ahmed also claimed that President Hassan Sheikh has sent a lobbying delegation to London led by Mohamed Ali Nur ‘Americo’, General Manager of Mogadishu Port, and Abdukadir Mohamed Nur, Minister of Ports and Marine Transport, to lobby the International Maritime Organisation, insurers and major shipping lines. The report provides no dates, meetings or confirmation for the alleged delegation.

The report does not establish what has happened since November 18, 2025. It does not confirm whether the ECTN requirement is in force at Berbera, what fees or processing times apply, or whether any carrier, insurer or logistics firm has altered operations in response.