Celebrating the Maiden Voyage of a New Ferry in Djibouti: Improving access to the capital Djibouti City and northern region to promote equitable regional development

2025.02.21

On January 30, commemorative ceremonies were held at the ports of Djibouti City, the capital of the Republic of Djibouti, and Tadjourah in northern Djibouti to celebrate the maiden voyage of a new ferry, which was provided through a Japanese ODA grant. In attendance for Djibouti were Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Minister of Infrastructure Hassan Houmed Ibrahim, and other key officials. Attendees on the Japanese side included Ambassador of Japan to Djibouti Hara Keiichi and Chief Representative of the JICA Djibouti Office Kaneda Masayuki.

Ribbon-cutting by Prime Minister Abdoulkader and Ambassador Hara

Ambassador of Japan to Djibouti Hara

A grant agreement (GA) was signed in 2019 under the Project for Reinforcement of Maritime Transport Capacity at Gulf of Tadjourah to support procurement of a new large ferry. Unlike the previous ferry, the new vessel is designed to withstand the khamsin season’s strong winds and sandstorms and also accommodate large, high-clearance vehicles. JICA previously provided a ferry through grant aid in 2009, halving the travel time between Djibouti City and Tadjourah from over three hours to approximately 90 minutes and significantly increasing passenger traffic. However, the old ferry faced operational challenges, being forced to halt services during the khamsin season when average wind speeds reach 5–10 m/s, posing safety concerns.

The launch of the new ferry will enable the region to respond to increasing demand and to improve operational capacity through the development of ferry and port infrastructure, thereby strengthening domestic transportation networks to promote regional development and reduce disparities. In addition, this project is expected to facilitate growth in northern Djibouti and improve local livelihoods, contributing to SDGs Goal 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure).

During the ceremony, Prime Minister Abdoulkader and Ambassador Hara conducted the commemorative ribbon-cutting. Prime Minister Abdoulkader affirmed strong commitment to the development of northern Djibouti and praised the new ferry as an achievement resulting from bilateral cooperation. On behalf of the Government of Japan, Ambassador Hara underscored that the ferry would serve as a new symbol of the strong bond between Djibouti and Japan.

At the ceremony

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