The World’s Oldest Ship, MV Liemba, is setting sail again in Lake Tanganyika after nearly 114 years

MV Liemba, which is the oldest ship in the world, is setting sail again in 2026.

The World’s oldest ship in history of water vessels, is apparently refusing to die or retire even after 114 years in operation, instead it is resuming transport services in the deepest Lake of Africa from the first week of September 2026.

It is almost as old as the Titanic, except this ship operating in Tanzania is still sailing on Lake Tanganyika connecting four African countries.

Unbelievably, this ship is still in service after nearly 115 years.

The schooner was under maintenance between 2024 and 2026 and set to sail in September 2026, over 113 years since its maiden voyage. 

Tanzania’s own Titanic

Liemba was built a few months after the Titanic Sunk.

And after more than 111 years of serving on Lake Tanganyika it was withdrawn for extensive refurbishment.

The Croatian firm of M/S Brodosplit JSC undertook the ship’s refurbishment works.

Brodosplit was work alongside the Dar es Salaam Merchant Group (DMG) to give Liemba a new lease of life.

The vessel that can carry over 200 tons and a total of 600 passengers.

The Moving Vessel (MV) “Liemba” has always operated in Lake Tanganyika linking Tanzania, DR Congo and Zambia as well as Burundi.

This ancient ship has been sunk twice.

Liemba marks 110 years after it was scuttled on purpose in 1916 so it couldn´t be used by the allies in World War I.

German engineers tasked with its scuttling felt sorry for the ship and instead of blowing it with explosives, filled it with sand, covered the engines with grease, and gently sank it in shallow waters so they could raise it later after the war.

But in 1918 bad weather sank it again while they were trying to raise it and the task was abandoned.

Sunk by Germans, refloated by the British

After spending eight years underwater, it was the British who finally refloated it in 1924.                             

Initially named “Graf Goetzen”, it was built in sections in Germany, shipped to Africa and then taken by train and road in 5000 boxes from the port of Tanga, along the Indian Ocean shoreline, to Lake Tanganyika in 1913, to assert German colonial power in the region.

Unbelievably, for more than 110 years this ship has been the only means of transportation in this region with no roads, helping Non-Government Organizations, local communities, the United Nations (UN) staff and even the military to move around the longest and deepest lake in Africa.                                                                               

This ship was also the inspiration for Humphrey Bogart´s “Africa Queen” famous movie.

Due to its historic value, the German government still helps with some funding towards MV Liemba maintenance and modernization.

Liemba is now going to be put back into full service in October 2026 after the September trials following a major restoration project.

MV Liemba sails on Lake Tanganyika, from its base in Kigoma, Tanzania traveling to the Mpulungu port of Zambia, passing through various villages and ports en-route including the Lagosa linking to Mahale Hills, Karema in Mpanda, Kipili, and Kasanga.

Other stopovers include Karago, Tongwe, Sigunga, Herembe, Kaparamsenga, Rukoma, Sibwesa, Kalya, Ikola, Kabwe, Korongwe, Kirando, Ninde and Wampembe.

It takes two days to travel by Liemba from Tanzania to Zambia.

Later, it will also cover Kalemie in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nyanza and Bujumbura in Burundi.

Liemba used to be known as Graf von Goetzen when it was initially built in Germany around 1913.

The ship historically was one of three vessels the German Empire used to control Lake Tanganyika during the early part of the First World War.

Liemba’s captain had her scuttled on 26 July 1916 in Katabe Bay during the German retreat from Kigoma.

In 1924, a British Royal Navy salvage team raised her and in 1927 she returned to service as Liemba.

The ship is essentially the last vessel of the German Imperial Navy still actively sailing anywhere in the world.