Monday February 16, 2026
Türkiye’s Çağrı Bey drilling ship is seen at a port in Mersin, southern Türkiye, Feb. 14, 2026. (AA Photo)
Mogadishu (HOL) — Turkey on Sunday sent its deep-sea drilling vessel Cagri Bey to Somalia, marking Ankara’s first offshore energy exploration mission outside its own maritime zone, officials from both countries said.
Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, described the deployment as a “historic moment” in Turkey’s oil and gas strategy. Speaking at a ceremony at Tasucu port in Mersin province, he said the vessel would begin drilling in April at the Curad-1 well off Somalia’s coast.
“For the first time, our deep-sea drilling ship is setting out on a mission beyond our maritime zone,” Bayraktar said, adding that the vessel is expected to reach Somalia in about 45 days. It will be escorted by three Turkish naval warships during its transit, he said.
The mission follows a 2024 energy exploration agreement between Turkey and Somalia that granted Ankara offshore exploration rights. The deal is part of Turkey’s broader strategy to expand its hydrocarbon footprint and reduce dependence on energy imports.
Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Daahir Shire Mohamed, hailed the vessel’s departure as a milestone in the country’s economic recovery.
“Today is a great and historic day. It reflects Somalia’s recovery and the rebuilding of its destiny with confidence toward a prosperous future,” the minister said. “The vessel heading to Somali waters today is not merely a technical asset; it is a national symbol a symbol of hope, opportunity and a new beginning grounded in legality, transparency and responsibility.”
He emphasized that Somalia’s natural resources are a national asset and pledged that they would be managed transparently and equitably in accordance with international standards to benefit both current and future generations.
Turkey aims to produce 500,000 barrels per day of oil or equivalent hydrocarbons by 2028, Bayraktar said, with plans to double that output through discoveries and production-sharing agreements abroad.
The arrival of Cagri Bey is expected to deepen strategic ties between Ankara and Mogadishu, which have expanded in recent years to include defense, infrastructure and security cooperation. The offshore drilling project now places energy exploration at the center of that growing partnership.