An unexpected policy change at Djibouti’s port has disrupted Ethiopia’s liberalized logistics sector. Officials have barred operators without their own vessels from issuing bills of lading, preventing new private multimodal companies from moving shipments. The informal decision has caught affected businesses off guard.
In recent weeks, Djibouti officials have quietly barred non-vessel-owning multimodal transporters from issuing bills of lading, a move that has upended Ethiopia's newly liberalized logistics industry. New private multimodal operators are now unable to move shipments as a result. The decision, communicated informally, has caught companies off guard.
This change was reported on December 20, 2025, by Bezawit Huluager, a Fortune staff writer. Djibouti's unanticipated policy targets operators lacking their own vessels, disrupting the flow of freight critical to landlocked Ethiopia, which relies heavily on the port. Businesses in the sector express surprise at the sudden enforcement, highlighting vulnerabilities in the recent liberalization efforts aimed at fostering competition in multimodal transport.