Sierra Leone Seafarers Face Vessel Shortage as Shipping Company Plans Advance
Sierra Leone’s trained seafarers continue to face challenges securing vessels on which to gain the sea time required to advance their careers, according to Sia Fille, Deputy Harbour Master of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority.
Fille said the shortage of available vessels remains a major challenge for seafarers who complete their training but struggle to secure opportunities to sail.
“It is very tough for seafarers,” Fille said during an interview on AYV Media’s Wake Up Sierra Leone. “After completing their training, there is often no vessel available for them to sail on. That remains a major challenge in Sierra Leone.”
She said some seafarers are currently relying on ferries and other available vessels to obtain practical experience, but described these as temporary arrangements.
“For now, seafarers are managing with ferries and other available vessels, but those are only temporary solutions,” she said.
The challenge has persisted for several years. In a 2022 interview with Awoko Newspaper, Fille raised similar concerns, saying some seafarers were completing their studies but remaining at home because of limited opportunities to gain practical experience at sea.
She said the lack of vessels had contributed to some people abandoning the profession, while Sierra Leone at the time offered limited opportunities for specialised maritime training, with some courses conducted in Ghana.
Fille has now pointed to the planned revival of a national shipping company as a potential avenue for creating more opportunities for Sierra Leonean seafarers. She said President Julius Maada Bio’s administration is pursuing the initiative in partnership with China.
The initiative took a significant step forward in 2026 when the Sierra Leone National Shipping Agency signed a joint venture agreement with China’s Zhejiang Xiehai Group Co. Ltd. to establish the Sierra Leone Ocean Shipping Company (SLOSCo). Parliament ratified the agreement on August 4, 2026.
According to Transport and Aviation Minister Alhaji Fanday Turay, Zhejiang Xiehai is China’s third-largest shipping group, with a fleet of 50 vessels and an annual turnover of approximately $300 million.
Turay described the parliamentary ratification as a “defining moment” for Sierra Leone’s maritime industry, saying the proposed company is expected to create employment opportunities, strengthen local maritime capacity and reduce dependence on foreign shipping operators.
Plans for SLOSCo include investment in maritime training, the establishment of a maritime school, technology transfer and opportunities for seafarers, marine engineers, logistics professionals and shipping managers.
Separately, the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration signed a memorandum of understanding with Njala University’s Bonthe Campus in February 2026 to strengthen maritime education and provide structured internship and sea-time opportunities for students.
The administration’s Executive Director, Dr Daniel Kaitibi, said more than 600 vessels fly the Sierra Leonean flag but that limited access to certified maritime training institutions has constrained opportunities for Sierra Leoneans to secure placements on board vessels.
Despite the planned shipping venture and ongoing efforts to strengthen maritime training, no official timeline has been announced for the commencement of SLOSCo’s operations or the number of seafarers expected to be employed by the company.
For trained seafarers, the availability of vessels and structured sea-time placements remains a key issue as Sierra Leone works to expand opportunities within its maritime sector.