# Boosaaso (SO BSA)

**UN/LOCODE:** SO BSA  
**Country:** Somalia  
**Water Body:** Gulf of Aden; Indian Ocean  
**Harbor Size:** Small  
**Harbor Type:** Coastal (Breakwater)  
**GPS:** 11.2833, 49.1833

Founded to ship livestock to the Arabian Peninsula, Boosaaso (Bandar Cassim) remains Puntland's principal port on Somalia's Gulf of Aden coast, exporting camels, sheep and cattle to Gulf markets. Inbound traffic is dominated by break-bulk and dry bulk such as cement, sugar, rice and construction materials. Under a roughly US$366 million DP World concession, the port is being upgraded with a new 150 m quay, refurbishment of the existing 215 m quay and new container yards, to handle container vessels and feeder calls from Dubai. Scheduled container line services nonetheless remain limited and are not consistently confirmed. In July 2026, newly introduced port handling charges by DP World triggered a trader boycott and temporary shutdown; a deal between the Puntland government, DP World and merchant representatives was reached within weeks, allowing the port to reopen. Trader associations, however, allege that DP World has continued to impose the disputed charges despite the agreement; separately, the legal standing of the regionally signed concession vis-à-vis Somalia's federal government remains contested. The hinterland is served by road into the Somali interior and toward Ethiopia. For container cargo, Berbera (Somaliland) and Djibouti are the practical alternatives, with Mogadishu serving the south.

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*Freight Academy — Seaport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/boosaaso-port-so-bsa](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/boosaaso-port-so-bsa)*

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*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/seaports/boosaaso-port-so-bsa/llm-summary?lang=en*