Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Turkey will deploy a drilling ship to Somalia in February to carry out its first overseas deepwater energy exploration project.

Bayraktar stated that the operation will be conducted by the drilling vessel Cagri Bey and will focus on offshore areas in Somali waters, without providing details on the targeted reserves or the scale of investment.

Turkey signed an energy exploration agreement with Somalia in 2024, as part of Ankara’s efforts to diversify its energy sources, reduce dependence on imports, and expand exploration activities both domestically and abroad.