Project supports Future Ready Shipping for Africa

IMO opens four landmark streams for Sub-Saharan States

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), backed by the European Union, is inviting Sub-Saharan African Member States to apply for transformative technical assistance across digitisation, green fuels, maritime governance, and seafarer education with up to five beneficiaries selected per programme and implementation beginning as early as May 2026.

In a signal of major ambition for the continent's maritime future, IMO has simultaneously launched four separate calls for expressions of interest under its Future-Ready Shipping (FRS) in Africa project. The programmes span the full breadth of modern maritime challenges including digital port infrastructure, clean alternative fuels, legislative governance, and workforce training.

The FRS in Africa project reflects an increasingly urgent global consensus: the African continent possesses exceptional strategic importance to international shipping, yet many of its Member States face structural barriers that prevent full participation in as well as benefit from the global maritime economy.

The four separate programmes have been expressly designed to address those barriers with targeted, country-specific technical support rather than generic, one-size-fits-all assistance.

Each selected beneficiary will receive hands-on expert engagement including assessments, legislative drafting support, feasibility studies, road maps, and stakeholder workshops delivered directly in-country.

While there are no cash transfers IMO experts and specialist consultants will work alongside national institutions to build lasting capacity and produce investment-ready outputs.

The four programmes at a glance

Each of the four circular letters published this month addresses a distinct dimension of maritime development. Member States may apply to more than one programme, provided they can demonstrate genuine need and institutional capacity to engage in each area. Here is what is on offer.

◼︎ Digitisation: Maritime Single Window Readiness & Digital Oversight
Expert assessment of digital infrastructure gaps for implementing a Maritime Single Window (MSW); mapping of port community systems; development of bespoke MSW road maps with phased timelines, resource needs, and technical specifications; and multi-stakeholder workshops to validate findings.

◼︎ Green Fuels: Feasibility Studies for Sustainable Alternative Fuels
Technical, regulatory, and financial feasibility assessments for alternative fuel bunkering facilities and green corridor development; preparation of bankable business cases suitable for engagement with development finance institutions, private investors, and international partners.

◼︎ Governance: Maritime Governance & Legislative Reform
Comprehensive review of existing maritime legislation and MARPOL Annex VI compliance status; in-country legislative drafting assistance; national workshops for maritime authorities and legal experts; and development of draft policy and legislative rec

◼︎ Education: Integrated Educational Pilot for Green & Digital Shipping
Upgraded curricula on alternative fuels, biodiversity-sensitive operations, and digital navigation; train-the-trainer programmes for MET faculty; scholarships and fellowships prioritising women and underrepresented groups; and industry partnerships for practical sea-time experience.

Responding to change

The case for engagement is compelling and the timing is critical. The global shipping industry is undergoing its most profound transformation in a generation, driven simultaneously by the IMO's 2023 GHG Strategy (which commits shipping to net-zero emissions by or around 2050), rapidly advancing digitalisation, and sweeping regulatory change. African states that participate in shaping these transitions now will be in a far better position to benefit from them than those that engage only after standards have been set elsewhere.

Consider the Maritime Single Window alone. The IMO FAL Convention already mandates electronic data exchange for ship arrival, stay, and departure. Member States that lag in MSW implementation face not only administrative inefficiency, but growing competitive disadvantage as major trading partners increasingly expect seamless digital port interactions. The FRS programme offers the expert assessment and road-mapping needed to close that gap and to position African ports as modern, investor-attractive gateways.

On the decarbonisation front, the opportunity is arguably even more significant. Several Sub-Saharan African states are naturally positioned to become producers and exporters of green maritime fuels including hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, and biofuels. The feasibility programme could provide the investment-grade business cases needed to attract the development finance that transforms potential into reality. States that obtain bankable feasibility studies through this programme will be measurably ahead of regional competitors in attracting green shipping investment.

For maritime governance the stakes are no less urgent. Effective implementation of MARPOL Annex VI is not optional, it is a prerequisite for access to international markets and for demonstrating compliance with increasingly stringent environmental standards enforced by port state control regimes worldwide. IMO's legislative drafting support is a rare and direct route to building that compliance infrastructure.

Finally, the education pilot addresses a long-term competitiveness issues. A maritime workforce trained in alternative fuels, digital navigation, and emissions management is fast becoming an imperative. Seafarers, instructors, and port professionals with these skills will be in demand globally.

Eligibility

All four programmes are open to government entities in Sub-Saharan African IMO Member States including ministries, departments, agencies, and State-owned enterprises. For the education pilot, regional maritime training institutions may also apply provided they have the backing of the relevant government body.

Although private sector organisations may not apply independently, they may participate as partners where proposals are developed and submitted jointly with a government entity. This approach ensures that assistance is anchored in national institutional frameworks and contributes to sustained capacity rather than short-term commercial gain.

Each programme will select up to five beneficiary states. All submissions will be assessed by an Evaluation Committee comprising the Project Coordination Unit and independent panels of technical experts with specific expertise relevant to each.

Key Dates

◼︎ By 9 March 2026: Deadline for submission of all Expressions of Interest. Member States are strongly encouraged to submit as early as possible.

◼︎ By 16 March 2026: Initial screening and evaluation of all submissions against eligibility and selection criteria.

◼︎ By 23 March 2026: Shortlisted applicants contacted and asked to provide any additional technical or contextual information.

◼︎ 8 April 2026: Confirmation of selected beneficiaries following Project Steering Committee approval.

◼︎ From May 2026: Implementation of support activities begins. For Circular 5116 (alternative fuels), procurement of feasibility study contractors initiated by mid-May 2026.

Global agenda set to turn maritime regulations into practice