Somali Navy Reports Rescue of Crew from Bulker
Somalia’s fledgling navy is reporting the rescue of seafarers from a bulker in distress. Details of the incident are incomplete, but it is being cited as an example of the government’s efforts to enhance maritime security in a troubled area of the world.
The Ministry of Ports and Maritime Transport said on September 17 it was monitoring the grounding of a bulker, which was also taking on water. It said there were 18 crewmembers from India, Syria, and Egypt aboard the vessel but did not provide details on the location of the incident.
The ship was identified as the Jacuar (IMO 9181821) sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Equasis shows the vessel, which was built in 1998, is under Turkish ownership and management. It is 8,556 dwt and 100 meters (328 feet) in length.
The ship has a troubled history, showing years of deficiencies in port state inspections. In December 2025, Egyptian authorities cited deck corrosion and problems with the gauges in the engine room. Authorities in Jordan detained the ship in September 2024 and April 2025, citing safety issues.
Somalia’s maritime authority did not say what had caused the grounding. It said the ship was carrying 7,007 tonnes of an unidentified cargo sailing from Mozambique to Egypt.
The Navy reported the rescue of the crewmembers on September 18. Media reports are saying the vessel capsized. Again, there was no indication of which region of Somalia the ship was located, or confirmation that it had capsized.
Somali media reported in April 2025 that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appointed a new naval commander after the Somali National Army (SNA) had been operating without a naval component. Some reports said the navy had been mostly dormant since the early 1990s. Efforts to expand the navy were said to have begun in about 2022, with the recruiting of new personnel, and the new commander in 2025 was promising to accelerate the efforts. The president was also promising to restart the country’s air force.
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The European Union reported in July that it had conducted a Coast Guard Border Police and Maritime Crimes Course in Mogadishu as part of the effort to enhance the capabilities of the forces. Members of the police force, along with the coast guard and navy, participated in the 10 days of training.
Top for of Jacuar in 2025 by Edan Luke - courtesy of Vessel Finder
