Ship chandlers & ship supply at Djibouti DJJIB

Djibouti’s ports and free zones are administered by the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA), which places the country on two of the three busiest shipping routes in the world. The ports ranked third in Africa and the Red Sea region in the 2025 Container Port Performance Index, per DPFZA.^[1]

—Doraleh Container Terminal, run by SGTD since 2009: 1,050 m of quay at 18–20 m depth, handling capacity of 1.8 million TEU, and a rail station on site.^[2]

—Doraleh Multipurpose Port (opened May 2017): 1,200 m of quay with 6 berths at 15.3 m for vessels up to 100,000 dwt, covering bulk, break-bulk, container and Ro-Ro cargo, with a direct connection to the Djibouti–Addis Ababa railway.^[3]

—Horizon Djibouti Terminals, the petroleum and bulk-liquid terminal: 371,000 m³ of storage and two berths for tankers of 30,000 and 80,000 dwt.^[4]

—The historic Port de Djibouti in the city: container berths of 180 m (9.5 m) and 220 m (12 m) with a Ro-Ro berth, plus a marine division with harbour tugs, a 1,750-tonne floating dock and an 80-tonne floating crane.^[6,7]

Over 95% of Ethiopia’s import-export trade by volume uses the Addis–Djibouti corridor (World Bank). The railway cut the Djibouti–Addis Ababa transit from three days by road to about 12 hours, with up to 4–5 trains a day to Ethiopia.^[8,5]

—For shipping this means a steady base of liner, bulk and fuel calls that do not depend on transit traffic — the same corridor cargo arrives whatever the Red Sea does.^[8]

—Transit traffic is the part that swings. Through July 2026 Bab-el-Mandeb transits ran 40–60% below normal levels, and a new Houthi ban on Saudi ports turned some ships around near Djibouti (Lloyd’s List Intelligence, 23 July 2026).^[11]

—In September 2026 the Houthis claimed Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the port of Mokha and Perim Island in the strait itself (Carnegie Endowment, 23 September 2026). Check current security advice and war-risk cover before routing a call.^[12]

—Bunkers: supplied by barge, with HSFO, VLSFO and MGO offered in Djibouti and floating storage offshore; bunkering alongside during cargo work is possible subject to port approval. VLSFO supply was relaunched in December 2025 after about two years of disruption, so confirm grade availability before you commit.^[9,10]

—An agent to book the berth or anchorage with the terminal you are calling — container (SGTD), multipurpose (DMP), tanker (Horizon) or the city port, each listed separately by DPFZA.^[1]

—Freight moving on to Ethiopia: rail from Doraleh or the corridor road — a forwarder books the inland leg.^[5,3]

—Provisions, stores and fresh water for the call or for the passage onward. Post a requirement and chandlers serving Djibouti answer with sealed bids; suppliers never see the vessel’s name until award. If you supply ships in Djibouti, be the first supplier in.