Kilindini port’s stature continues to grow as its cargo jumps by 320pc

Kilindini continues to be the East and Central Africa region’s choice port with transhipment cargo handled at the facility growing by 320.7 per cent in 2014.

Transhipment grew to record 731,912 tonnes in 2014 against 173,971 tonnes in 2013.

Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Gichiri Ndua said the port continues to make tremendous improvements with the area it serves expanding to include South Sudan.

The traffic destined to transit countries amounted to 7.199 million tonnes in 2014 up from 6.709 million tonnes handled in 2013. 

Uganda remained Kenya’s biggest transit market and continues to increase its usage of the port. 

Mr Ndua said in 2014, Uganda cargo grew by 12.4 per cent with 5.522 million tonnes compared to 4.912 million tonnes in 2013.

Although exports remained lower than imports through the port, Mr Ndua said the former grew by 12.8 per cent in 2014.

CRITICAL SECTOR

“Kenya’s Mombasa port continued to make notable improvement with the total cargo throughput increasing by 11.5 per cent from 22.307 million tons in 2013 to 24.875 million tons in 2014,” he said. During the same period, container traffic grew by 13.2 per cent, rising from 894,000 Twenty Foot Equivalent (TEUs) in 2013 to 1,012,002 TEUs in 2014. 

The MD said importers today take less time to receive cargo at their various destinations in the region. This time is expected to reduce further with the building of the standard gauge railway expected to start operations in 2017.

“Dwell time reduced to 3.9 days in 2014 from 4.9 days in 2013,” he said adding that the number and sizes of the vessels that called at the port also increased.

He said the crossing of the One Million TEUs milestone last year was a reflection of the strong growth achieved by the port and maritime industry in 2014. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta graced the One Million TEUs ceremony with Ndua saying in the statement that 2014 was “an excellent year for the industry” and predicted that “2015 will be another record breaking year”.

He singled out the maritime community, shipping lines, clearing agents, transporters, oil companies, Container Freight Stations, port suppliers, security and government agencies for the improvements and promised more efficient services and better pro-business environment and skilled workforce.

“The imports that pass through the port of Mombasa are critical to Kenya’s economic growth and to the economic well-being of its neighbours.  These include petroleum products, wheat clinker, steel and coal imports that make up nearly 84 per cent of the total traffic in Mombasa,” he said.

However, the MD regretted that exports represented only 15 per cent of the total volumes of goods handled by the port.

Mr Ndua hailed the gradual reduction of trade barriers in recent years within the East African Community.

FUNDAMENTAL AREAS

He said improved infrastructure increased the competitive advantage of domestic industries adding that the operational effectiveness of the port of Mombasa has a direct influence on the competitiveness of Kenya business and the wide cost of goods within the EAC.

Mr Ndua said that the six coast counties of Taita Taveta, Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River with a population of approximately 3,325,307 had great potential that should be harnessed.

If investment in irrigation agriculture, modernizing and expanding all existing infrastructure, innovation and technology will make the region more competitive, he said.

He said security, service delivery and environmental issues should be considered for economic development.

“Considering the above fundamental areas that should be harnessed and developed, education is key to making the region grow and achieve its full potential and investments must therefore be made in improving education standards, exploring opportunities for scholarships and capacity building initiatives within and without the counties, including international exchanges,” he said.