Senate Allies Mobilize After ECTN Order Threatens Horn Trade Stability.
A new dispute over maritime regulation in the Horn of Africa has intensified regional tensions and prompted unusually direct engagement from policymakers in Washington, after Somalia’s federal government moved to impose an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) requirement on all incoming shipments—including those routed through Somaliland’s internationally operated Port of Berbera.
The directive, issued unilaterally by Somalia’s Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport, asserts federal authority over all trade flows entering the country.
But Somaliland officials, along with diplomatic observers in the region, say the mandate effectively seeks to apply a federal system to ports that Mogadishu neither administers nor finances.
The measure would also require shippers to register cargo with federal authorities and pay additional fees, even when those shipments are bound for landlocked Ethiopia via Berbera.
Somaliland’s response has been notably forceful. Officials argued the requirement amounts to a non-tariff barrier that disrupts established trade routes and imposes an unnecessary additional cost on commercial operators.
They also raised concerns about placing sensitive cargo data under the control of a federal system that recently suffered a major cybersecurity breach, when Somalia’s newly launched electronic visa platform was compromised.
The Port of Berbera—expanded through a public-private partnership with DP World and long integrated into Ethiopia’s supply chain—already operates with digitized customs, international security standards and independent oversight.
Somaliland authorities say the ECTN mandate risks introducing double taxation and uncertainty for shippers, potentially undermining one of the region’s most significant commercial corridors.
The dispute has drawn new attention in Washington, where congressional staff and committee members were briefed on the implications for regional trade and U.S. interests, including Ethiopia’s food import routes and ongoing security cooperation initiatives.
According to people familiar with the discussions, lawmakers are reviewing whether U.S. funding or technical assistance could inadvertently support regulatory frameworks that complicate trade through Berbera or increase political friction in the region.
Several members of Congress have also raised questions about whether the new requirement aligns with U.S. objectives in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where stability and reliable trade corridors are considered essential to broader security goals.
Legislative options reportedly under consideration include new oversight language in annual appropriations measures and in the National Defense Authorization Act that would direct U.S. agencies to assess the impact of politically sensitive digital systems like the ECTN.
Diplomats tracking the issue say the move has further strained relations between Somaliland and the federal government, following years of stalled talks and recurring disputes over airspace, financial authority and security coordination.
Some foreign officials privately describe the ECTN directive as a sign of escalating political pressure rather than a technical reform effort, a view that could shape future international engagement.
For now, commercial operators using Berbera continue to follow Somaliland’s regulatory procedures, while international partners assess the potential implications of two competing systems.
