Turkey has launched an unprecedented energy exploration mission by dispatching its brand-new deep-drilling vessel Çağrı Bey to Somali waters, marking a historic milestone as the first Turkish drilling ship deployed beyond its own territorial boundaries. The vessel departed from Mersin’s Taşucu Port on Sunday afternoon amid fanfare and a high-profile ceremony attended by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and senior Somali officials.
The deployment represents the second Turkish vessel to operate in Somalia after the research and seismic ship Oruç Reis, which completed its mission last summer after being dispatched in October 2024. Bayraktar revealed that Çağrı Bey faces a lengthy 45-day voyage to reach Mogadishu Port, avoiding the Suez Canal route in favor of a safer passage through the Atlantic Ocean along Africa’s western coast. The ambitious mission reflects Turkey’s aggressive push to achieve energy independence and reduce its dependence on foreign energy supplies.
Minister Bayraktar declared that 2026 will be a year of discoveries and breakthrough announcements for Turkey’s energy sector, emphasizing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s directive to pursue initiatives that will make Turkey absolutely energy independent. The minister also announced plans to double domestic gas production from the Black Sea this year while intensifying drilling operations across the entire Black Sea coast, spanning from Rize to Kastamonu, in search of new hydrocarbon fields.
The strategic partnership between Ankara and Mogadishu encompasses cooperation across multiple sectors including energy, defense, and infrastructure development, solidifying Turkey’s growing influence in the Horn of Africa.
Source: dailysabah.com