Ethiopia today opened the Africa Maritime Conference 2025 at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, bringing together global and African maritime leaders, policymakers, and investors to discuss how Africa can expand its footprint in the global shipping industry.

The three-day event, held under the theme “Africa as the Next Global Crewing Frontier,” is organised by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the Ethiopian Maritime Authority, and YCF Group. The conference aims to strengthen collaboration among African nations and highlight the continent’s growing role in supplying skilled seafarers to the global market.

Frans Joubert, Chief Executive Officer of YCF Group, said the conference represents a call to action for Africa to claim its place in the global maritime economy by leveraging its young and skilled workforce. “Today, Africa supplies less than five percent of the world’s seafarers despite its vast coastline and expanding training capacity,” he said. “Through collaboration and leadership, Africa can become a trusted and competitive player in global shipping.”

The conference was officially opened by Alemu Sime (PhD), Minister of Transport and Logistics, and is being attended by representatives from the World Maritime University, Women in Maritime in Eastern and Southern Africa (WOMESA), and major global shipping companies including Columbia Shipmanagement, Danaos Shipping, Seaspan, and Maersk.

A highlight of the event is a showcase by Bahir Dar University and the Ethiopian Maritime Training Institute (EMTI), which have trained thousands of Ethiopian seafarers now serving on international fleets. The presentation is expected to demonstrate how Ethiopia, despite being landlocked, has become a contributor to the global maritime workforce.

Over the coming days, the conference will host sessions on maritime governance, training, and employment opportunities, culminating in the “Great Maritime Debate,” which will examine whether Africa can become a leading global supplier of seafarers within the next decade.

The Africa Maritime Conference 2025 marks the first time Ethiopia has hosted a continental maritime forum, underscoring its ambition to position itself as a regional hub for maritime training and logistics development.