Kenya Ports Authority to handle 2 mn containers at Port of Mombasa
KPA has announced plans to increase its container capacity to 2 mn annually
Aug 16, 2018: Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has announced plans to increase its container capacity to two million annually at the Port of Mombasa by 2022.
“Currently the port handles 30 million tonnes of cargo annually, but we want to increase it to 45 million tonnes in the next four years,” said KPA MD Daniel Manduku. He noted that this target would help the authority achieve an annual revenue of almost US$1 billion and would help it to maintain its strategic ability to move cargo from the port to the hinterland.
In 2017, KPA handled 1.2 million TEUs at the port and its goal is to increase this to 1.3 million TEUs this year.
“KPA is banking on its improved cargo clearance services and good governance structure to achieve the vision of being the best managed port in Africa.The second area we are focusing on is modernised equipment and very high-level ICT structure,” Manduku said.
Meanwhile, the road networks around Mombasa port are being expanded with Berths 11 to 15 scheduled to undergo major renovations. The Inland Container Depot in Nairobi has also been slated for expansion to accommodate more cargo from the Port of Mombasa.
The KPA said that it would be undertaking various huge infrastructural projects such as the construction of the Shimoni and Kisumu ports – following the completion of the Lamu port which is currently under way.
In Kisumu, KPA has already acquired some land and are in the process of identifying an appropriate model. The Shimoni port will be developed in order to tap into the South Sudan and Ethiopian markets under the Lapsset initiative and will comprise 32 berths when completed.
Additionally, the KPA announced major plans to build 11 new ports in the country and has already contracted a Rotterdam-based company to plan for the construction.