Turkey has sent its deep‑sea drilling vessel Çağrı Bey to Somalia for what officials describe as the country’s first offshore energy exploration mission outside Turkish waters, marking a significant expansion of Ankara’s regional energy ambitions, Reuters reported.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the vessel departed from Taşucu port in southern Türkiye and is expected to reach Somali waters in about 45 days, where it will begin drilling in April 2026 at the Curad‑1 well off Somalia’s coast. Bayraktar described the deployment as a “historic moment” in Turkey’s oil and gas exploration efforts, according to TimesLive.
The Çağrı Bey ship is part of an expanded Turkish drilling fleet that includes several other advanced vessels, and its mission follows earlier seismic surveys conducted by Turkey’s Oruç Reis research vessel in Somali maritime areas. Bayraktar said the operation reflects deepening energy cooperation between Ankara and Mogadishu, based on agreements signed in 2024 covering onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration.
Officials also indicated that the mission will be supported by an escort of Turkish naval vessels during transit and that the broader strategy aims to enhance Türkiye’s energy security and diversify its exploration efforts beyond its own maritime zone.
