To maintain the commendable economic growth that has been registered in the country over the last several years, one of the strategic measures taken by the Federal Government of Ethiopia is merging the former three public enterprises that have until recently been operating separately in a rather similar and interdependent maritime sub-sector; namely, Ethiopian Shipping Lines S.C, Maritime and Transit Services Enterprise and Dry Port Enterprise.

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise (ESL for short) is the result of this merger. This newly amalgamated enterprise came into being following the issuance of Regulation by the Council of Ministers (Regulation No. 255/2011), and is vested with the huge responsibility of rendering sea-transport & logistics services to the country’s importers, exporters, and investors in a more effective and efficient way, by reducing transit time, cost and hand offs. Besides, a truck operating company named Comet Transport SC has recently been transferred to ESL following a government decree issued in the mid of 2014.

ESL has a multitude of vessels, heavy duty trucks, sea and dry port facilities, chicaneries, etc that enable it render efficient sea and land transport services as well as sea and dry port services.

ESL has its headquarters located in the heart of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with main branches at Djibouti, Modjo, and Kality (the former Comet) and other branches in Mekelle, DireDawa, Kombolcha, Semera and Gelan towns. It also has a Maritime Training Institute at a place called Babogaya in Bishoftu (former Debrezeit) Town.