Dhows, cranes and cargo: a look at Bosaso Port
Wooden dhows tied up beside steel cargo ships: a walk along the quay at Bosaso, on the Gulf of Aden, shows how old and new sea trade work side by side.
2 min read
Bosaso is a port city in the Bari region of Somalia, on the Gulf of Aden. Its harbour is a working place: cranes lifting cargo onto the quay, trucks waiting to load, and boats of every size tied up along the wall.
The most striking sight is the mix. Large wooden dhows, the traditional trading vessels of the region, sit next to steel cargo ships. Some dhows are covered in bright tarpaulins to protect their loads from sun and spray.
Why ports matter to the coast
A port connects the sea to everything inland. Food, fuel, building materials and livestock move through it, and with them jobs for dock workers, drivers, traders and boat crews.
Ports also concentrate pressure on the water around them. Litter collects against the harbour wall, and fuel and waste from busy berths end up in the sea. Keeping a port clean is part of keeping it useful.
See more photographs from the quay in the HAILA gallery.
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