Mombasa port gets 2 new cranes for SGR cargo
Kenya Ports Authority officials, Mr Julius Kai and Mr Edward Opiyo, address journalists at the Mombasa port after the arrival of two SGR cargo handling cranes on May 26, 2018. PHOTO | PHILIP MUYANGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Remaining four cranes to be delivered in June.
The Mombasa port has received two new rail-mounted gantry cranes from China that are expected to enhance its container handling capacity.
The cranes are part of six ordered by the Kenya Ports Authority at a cost of Sh2.12 billion to help handle standard gauge railway cargo.
KPA’s head of container operations Mr Edward Opiyo said the port is building capacity following increment in transhipment of cargo in the regional transportation hub.
“We need to give assurance to all potential customers and port users that we are able and can easily and safely manage cargo that passes through the port of Mombasa,” Mr Opiyo said.
The official said the port’s performance is measured by how fast cargo is evacuated through the railway system when it lands and leaves the port.
Mr Julius Tai, the head of container terminal engineering, said it took the Chinese manufacturer 13 months to build the cranes and a month to deliver them.
He said the remaining cranes are set to be delivered next month.
