The U.S. Coast Guard has added Somalia to a list of countries that fail to meet anti-terrorism security requirements at their ports. Consequently, vessels departing from Somali ports and bound for the United States will now be subject to additional security requirements.
This decision was announced in an official notice published in the U.S. Federal Register on October 27, 2026, following an assessment by the U.S. Coast Guard regarding security procedures at Somali ports.
The agency stated that it has determined Somalia is not currently maintaining effective security measures to prevent acts of terrorism at its ports. As a result, it has decided to impose specific security and port-access requirements on vessels departing from the country’s ports and heading to the United States.
This action is based on legal authority granted by the Maritime Transportation Security Act and other regulations concerning port security.
Somalia is now among 24 countries that the United States has assessed as failing to implement effective anti-terrorism security measures at their ports. Other countries include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, North Korea, and others.
The notice also states that this decision took effect on October 27, 2026, and was signed by Admiral Nathan A. Moore, Deputy Commandant for Operations of the United States Coast Guard.
This decision indicates that vessels arriving from Somalia will face additional security procedures upon entering U.S. waters, although the notice does not detail all the specific measures required of the vessels.
