dcknetwork

As part of its ambition to establish itself as a regional maritime hub and to address contemporary economic, technological, and geopolitical challenges, Senegal officially launched, on June 10, 2025, the reform of its Merchant Marine Code. Coordinated by the National Agency for Maritime Affairs (ANAM), this reform is intended to replace the Code enacted under Law No. 2002-22 of August 16, 2002, which had become inadequate in light of international legal developments, economic transformations, and current environmental challenges.

The new Code, conceived as a modern and operational legal instrument, will comprise over 800 articles divided into 12 books. It will establish a comprehensive and coherent regulatory framework governing vessels, port management, fisheries, maritime safety, and environmental protection. Its innovations are structured around six fundamentals pillars:

• Modernization and international alignment: harmonization with international conventions (IMO, SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW) and clarification of the responsibilities of shipowners, operators, and flag States.
• Expansion of regulated domains: incorporation of autonomous vessels, maritime drones, offshore platforms, as well as pleasure boating and tourist transport activities.
• Maritime safety and security: enhanced requirements regarding navigation certificates, monitoring of maritime routes, and strengthened measures against piracy and illicit trafficking.
• Marine environmental protection: stricter regulations on pollution, waste management, safeguarding of ecologically sensitive areas, and regulation of offshore oil and gas activities.
• Improvement of seafarers’ status: reinforcement of social rights and working conditions in alignment with international standards.
• Innovation and emerging technologies: integration of digital tools in certification and monitoring processes, along with the consideration of technological advances in the maritime sector.

This overhaul reflects the Senegalese State’s determination to provide the country with a robust normative framework aligned with international standards, while consolidating its role as a regional leader in maritime governance and supporting the transformation of its Blue Economy in the face of global challenges.