The Nuclear Ship Is Coming. Will Africa Be Ready?
The nuclear-powered merchant ship is no longer a relic of Cold War ambition. It is a coming reality, and the global maritime industry—particularly Africa—must begin preparing now. The United States…
Lamu’s Coming Oil Refinery: Why Kenya’s Maritime Training System Must Shift into High Gear Now
Kenya stands at the threshold of what may become the largest industrial investment in its history. Aliko Dangote’s planned 700,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery in Lamu—with groundbreaking scheduled for late September or…
Kenya’s Blue Opportunity: A 640km Coastline Squandered by Neglect
Kenya presides over one of Africa’s most glaring maritime paradoxes. With a 640-kilometre coastline on the Western Indian Ocean, an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) spanning 142,400 square kilometres, and extended…
A US Warship Just Pulled into Mombasa — And the Timing Matters
The arrival of the USS Ross (DDG-71) in Mombasa on September 5 is being presented as a routine port visit. On the surface, that description is accurate. The Arleigh Burke-class…
The Quiet Power of a Panamax: Why MV REN JIAN 15’s Arrival Matters for Mombasa and East Africa
On an unremarkable day at the Port of Mombasa, a 260-metre Chinese-flagged Panamax container vessel slipped quietly into Berth 22. In doing so, it silently reaffirmed something profound about Kenya’s…
Charting a Course for Kenya’s Blue Economy: Why Erasmus+ Must Anchor Our Maritime Education and Seafarer Ambitions
Kenya stands at a defining crossroads in its maritime evolution. With the Blue Economy elevated as a cornerstone of Vision 2030 and a national maritime labour strategy positioning the country…
Beyond Nostalgia: Nigeria Needs a Smart, Private-Led Maritime Fleet—Not Another State-Owned Shipping Line
In 1959, on the cusp of independence, Nigeria launched the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL). By 1961, the federal government had assumed full ownership. At its zenith, the line operated…
Dangote’s Lamu Refinery: East Africa’s High-Stakes Bet on Energy Sovereignty
Aliko Dangote has set a date. On September 30, 2026, Africa’s richest man will break ground on a 700,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya. The ceremony will mark far more…
Kenya Needs a Stronger Shippers’ Voice—Not a Ghanaian Clone
Kenya would undoubtedly benefit from a stronger, more empowered shippers-focused body with clearer regulatory teeth on commercial charges and practices—something akin in spirit to Ghana’s model. But it does not…
The Capsizing of the Tugboat TNS Catcher off Busan
On the afternoon of September 2, 2026, the 286-tonne South Korean tugboat TNS Catcher capsized and sank while assisting a large container ship roughly 9 kilometers east of Oryukdo Island,…