Ethiopia to acquire six new cargo ships

Addis Ababa, March 6, 2025 (FMC) – Ethiopia is poised to expand its maritime fleet with the acquisition of six new cargo ships, as announced by the Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics (ESL) Corporation.

According to a statement provided to Fana Media Corporation, two of the six vessels have already been acquired in the current fiscal year and are now operational. These two ships are Ultramax dry bulk carriers, each with a substantial capacity of 62,000 tons.

Additionally, the fleet will include the ETU container ship, designed to carry between 3,000 and 4,000 containers.

The new cargo ships are expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing Ethiopia’s trade and investment activities, particularly in the realms of import and export. The remaining four vessels are slated for acquisition in the coming years.

At present, Ethiopia’s maritime fleet consists of 10 ships, with one, the Abay II, having a capacity of 63,000 tons, while the others have capacities ranging from 26,000 to 27,000 tons.