Management changes have accompanied this growing influence. Abdulber was appointed chief executive officer (CEO) in October 2025 after serving as director general of the Ethiopian Maritime Authority, replacing Beriso Amalo (PhD), who had headed the company for more than two years. Abdulber, who studied civil engineering and specialised in construction management and leadership, has already reshuffled senior managers, promising to unclog operational bottlenecks and push a new strategic direction.
His tenure began amid criticism over the import of expired fertiliser last September, an episode that raised questions about oversight across the logistics chain the company increasingly controls. According to him, ESLSE is working to support Ethiopian logistics service seekers but has not yet fully delivered on its plans due to “various challenges.” The company, he argued, was compelled to lower transportation costs on its own vessels so customers do not “have to pay so much.”
“This is to be achieved by avoiding cross-trade,” he said.
A new five-year strategy is presented as the answer. Running through 2031, it seeks to lift annual revenue to 295 billion Br by its final year and generate 1.7 billion dollars in foreign-exchange earnings. The plan is anchored in fleet expansion, with the company intending to acquire 16 additional vessels to fortify its position in global logistics, with six expected this year. The company is in talks with the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) to finance half the cost of the six vessels, with the balance to be covered from its own resources after earlier discussions with other financial institutions failed to produce a deal.
The acquisition list includes two new Ultramax ships, two Ultramax vessels in service and two container carriers. International market prices indicate that a new Ultramax with a capacity of 62,000tn can cost in the mid-30 million-dollar range, while a used vessel can approach 28 million dollars.
The strategy extends beyond adding tonnage. The shipping firm, long operating as a second-party logistics provider that owns and operates ships, vehicles, and other assets primarily to move goods, plans to transform itself within five years into a fully fledged third-party logistics provider. The company intends to offer integrated services, from freight brokering, shipping, warehousing, and inventory management to order fulfilment, returns handling, supply chain strategy, and access to logistics technology.
