Eritrea - Facts

Eritrea Facts for Sailors

• The coastline of Eritrea is a sensitive area. No yacht has successfully cleared in to visit Eritrea since 2020 when Eritrea closed its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Maritime borders have never really re-opened.
• Cruisers continue to report harassment and boardings by thte Eritrean Coast Guard, who can easily be confused with pirates or thieves based on their boats and rough uniforms.
• The two ports of entry, Massawa and Assab are located at either end of the country - Massawa in the south and Assab in the north. Assab is closed to sailing yachts, except in emergencies.
• It used to be easy to clear in at one port of entry, cruise the coast and then clear out at the other, however that is no longer possible.
• Harmil is a military outpost and should not be visited by yachts. It is recommended not to venture too close to the coast where there are military installations.
• There is a lack of navigation aids along the Eritrean coast so night sailing close to shore is not recommended.
• Massawa is the largest natural deepwater harbor on the Red Sea. Within it lies the Dhalak Archipelago, a group of hundreds of islands and islets, which is a protected Marine Park. This area offers beautiful winter cruising, however, unfortunately, the islands are "out of bounds" currently to foreign yachts.
• An interesting side trip for those stopping in Massawa is to the inland capital of Asmara.
• Repair facilities are limited, although there are small boatyards and workshops that are able to carry out simple repairs.