Tanzania and Liberia Team Up to Advance Africa’s Blue Economy. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — February 16, 2026 In a move that signals a new chapter in Africa’s maritime integration, Tanzania and Liberia have formalized a maritime partnership aimed at bolstering the continent’s blue economy.
The agreement, signed in Dar es Salaam, focuses on ship registration, seafarer training, and regulatory cooperation, with the aim of professionalizing Tanzania’s maritime sector and sharing Liberia’s extensive experience in managing one of the world’s largest ship registries.
According to Mohamed Salum, director general of Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation, the partnership is a practical step towards international standards. “Liberia brings decades of experience managing one of the world’s largest ship registries, while Tanzania contributes strategic geography and a growing labour force,” he.
The agreement comes at a time when Tanzania is seeing significant growth in cargo volumes through Dar es Salaam Port, which has more than doubled in the last decade.
This growth has led to increased investment in port modernization, digital customs systems, and regional transport corridors.
However, it has also brought challenges such as traffic congestion and environmental concerns. Liberia’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organisation, Wilmot Kpadeh, emphasized the need for skills, regulation, and sustained investment to capitalize on Africa’s potential in the maritime sector.
“Africa supplies only a small share of the world’s seafarers, despite possessing long coastlines and a youthful population,” he.
The partnership is being closely watched across the continent, with hopes that it could serve as a model for other African nations looking to develop their blue economies.
However, Esther Ngowi, a maritime consultant in Dar es Salaam, highlighted the importance of implementation in determining the agreement’s value.
“We have signed many memoranda across Africa, but what matters is whether young people actually board vessels, whether institutions get stronger, and whether timelines are respected,” she.
The Tanzania — Liberia agreement includes a joint technical committee and six-month milestones focused on registry development and seafarer deployment. Pilot training cohorts are expected later this year, although funding details are still being finalized.
As the continent looks to the sea for economic opportunities, the partnership between Tanzania and Liberia represents a step towards harnessing Africa’s maritime potential. Whether it succeeds in delivering real change will depend on the practical implementation of the agreement and the commitment of both nations to the blue economy vision.
