GAROWE, July 21, 2025 – Authorities in Somalia’s Puntland state said on Sunday that a foreign vessel, MV Sea World, was seized after it was found unlawfully anchored off the coast of Bareeda for two consecutive days without notifying local maritime authorities or requesting assistance, as required under international maritime law.
In a statement, the Puntland Ministry of Information, Communications, Tourism, Culture, and Heritage said preliminary investigations indicated the vessel lacked any official authorization to operate in Puntland’s territorial waters.
This, the ministry said, constituted a violation of international conventions safeguarding maritime sovereignty — specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982.
“This vessel violated international regulations that prohibit foreign ships from entering a state’s territorial waters without clearance, particularly when visibly armed or posing a potential security threat,” the statement said.
According to Puntland officials, the MV Sea World was found in waters near an active conflict zone where regional forces are engaged in operations against Islamic State (ISIS)-linked militants. This, they added, significantly heightened the security risk.
Puntland asserted its legal authority to inspect and investigate any foreign vessels within its maritime jurisdiction, citing Articles 25(1) and 27(1) of UNCLOS as the basis for its actions.
“The government has launched a formal investigation to determine the vessel’s ownership, true mission, and its cargo,” the ministry said, adding that any individuals or entities found to be connected to the unauthorized incursion will be held accountable.
The incident underscores the region’s heightened sensitivity to maritime security amid ongoing counterterrorism operations and broader concerns over the proliferation of unregulated activity along Somalia’s extensive coastline.
