Mombasa port expansion good for business - KPA
A new access road at the Mombasa port connecting the new container terminal with the existing Port Reitz Road that has been done by Japanese government as part of Mombasa Port Development Project. KPA has said the expansion of the port of Mombasa will make it better for business, in spite of rising competition in the region. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mombasa port, the standard gauge railway and road construction projects are some of the main features of the summit.
- The Port of Mombasa has for long been the major gateway to East Africa.
- Its 19 berths help it to handle about 1.1 million containers annually.
- It has a general cargo size of 26 million tons, making it the fifth largest Port in Africa.
The Kenya Ports Authority has said the expansion of the port of Mombasa will make it better for business, in spite of rising competition in the region.
Ahead of the infrastructure summit Monday morning at State House in Nairobi, KPA Managing Director Catherine Mturi-Wairi told journalists on Friday that the construction of the second container terminal allows it to stay ahead of the competition and address delays long associated with East Africa’s largest port.
“This expansion helps us meet our requirement of meeting capacity ahead of demand.
“In this region, when people want to import goods, they think of us first. They prefer to import through the port of Mombasa because we are able to facilitate the evacuation and service their cargo very first. That is what every cargo owner wants,” she said during a tour of the port.
President Kenyatta is scheduled to host a summit of investors, government officials and donors involved in infrastructure projects.
The Mombasa port, the standard gauge railway and road construction projects are some of the main features of the summit.
“President Kenyatta has made a number of commitments in these areas and backed them with investment, State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu said Sunday.
The port of Mombasa has for long been a major gateway to East Africa, helping countries like Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo and South Sudan import fuel, machinery and other essentials.
Its 19 berths allow it to handle about 1.1 million containers annually, and a general cargo size of 26 million tons, making it the fifth largest port in Africa.
