Maritime Security Gets a Boost as Immigration Set to Receive Patrol Vessel

What began as a mere dream—to establish a Marine Section within Malawi’s Immigration Department to police lakeside ports of entry—has now sailed into reality. The Japanese Government is set to hand over a state-of-the-art Immigration Patrol Vessel 001 (IPV) to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services.

The historic handover ceremony will take place on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at Nkhata Bay Jetty Yard, presided over by Minister of Homeland Security, Honourable Ezekiel Peter Ching’oma, M.P. Acting Director General Macloid Anamchuma Kalindang’oma and top immigration brass will also be in attendance.

The IPV will strengthen Malawi’s capacity to curb irregular migration, human trafficking, smuggling, and other transnational crimes along the lake. Officials say the vessel’s arrival marks a new era in safeguarding the country’s waters.

The marine project is funded by the Japanese Government under the Japanese Supplementary Budget (JSB) through the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), with technical support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). It underscores the power of strategic partnerships in bolstering national security.