Somalia has kicked off its first-ever offshore oil drilling operations after a Turkish drilling vessel, the Cagri Bey, docked at the port of Mogadishu on Friday. The ship's arrival follows a 2024 hydrocarbon deal granting Turkey's state energy company rights to explore three offshore blocks totaling roughly 15,000 square kilometres off the Somali coast. The project marks a milestone for both nations — representing Somalia's entry into offshore energy exploration and Turkey's first deep-sea drilling venture beyond its own waters.