NOCK to expand capacity at Mombasa port

State owned firm National Oil Corporation of Kenya ( NOCK) has made initial steps towards constructing a jetty at the port of Mombasa to ease handling and discharge of oil products.

NOCK says a strategic partner has been identified for the facility which allows berthing of super tankers with maximum capacity of 280 000 dead weight tonnes (DWT), up from the current 80 000DWT, at once.

To be located in the deep seas – up to 5 kilometres from shore, the offshore floating jetty will cost between $80million and $100million( about Sh9.9billion).

It is preferred over a fixed one for it comes with a dedicated bunkering line for big ships, eliminating the need for dredging of the channel.

“A feasibility study is underway and a final report is expected by January 2012,” said NOCK managing director Sumayya Hassan-Athmani.

The facility would enhance efficiency in handling imports and turn-around of imports and will reduce costs through elimination of demurrage costs on petroleum fuels that arise from inadequate storage at the port and further guarantee enhanced security of supply.

It is being carried out simultaneously with the construction of locations for the strategic petroleum reserves at Konza, Mtito Andei, Mombasa, Nanyuki, Northern Kenya , Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu.

The oil firm also plans to engage an independent consultant to draw a national petroleum master plan against forecasts that petroleum consumption will more than double to 10 million tonnes in two decades.

“We expect the strategic oil reserves to cushion the country from supply shocks by increasing oil reserves from the current 21 days to 90 days.

This quota being constrained by vessel scheduling for the single berth at Mombasa.