Transport

Mombasa port defies poll jitters to post 10pc rise in cargo traffic

PORT

Mombasa port’s second cargo terminal. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Cargo volumes handled at the Mombasa port grew by 10.6 per cent in the first nine months of this year, defying the tough political environment that has affected business.

Kenya Ports Authority managing director (KPA) Catherine Mturi said there was minimal effect on performance by the long electioneering period that saw annulment of the August 8 presidential election and the uncertainty that followed opposition leader Raila Odinga’s withdrawal from the repeat poll held on October 26.

However, there have been challenges in the offtake of cargo after transporters scaled down their fleet of trucks ferrying goods from the port for fear of attacks as demonstrations were witnessed in some parts of Nairobi and western Kenya.

“This year we have witnessed signs of a good performance in the last nine months from January to September, despite the prolonged electioneering period.

“The port handled 22.7 million tonnes of cargo compared with 20.5 million tonnes over the same period last year reflecting an increase of 2.2 million tonnes or 10.6 per cent,” said Ms Mturi.

READ: Mombasa port traffic up 10pc in nine months to Sept

The KPA boss was speaking at Whitesands Beach Resort on Monday when she opened a media workshop for journalists from Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi.

Ms Mturi attributed the performance to the opening of phase one of the second container terminal that added 550,000 twenty-foot equivalent units to the ports’ capacity.

“The has partly been caused by the presence of the second container terminal that has made tremendous contributions to the total traffic handled in the port since it became operational in April 2016,” she said.

The terminal handled 202,661 containers between January and September. In the same period 120 vessels docked at the port with a monthly average of 22,518 containers, she said, adding that phase two of the terminal is expected to start early next year.

Kenya Railways managing director Atanas Maina said the planned launch of standard gauge railway freight services on December 1 is still on course with a report on rates that will apply undergoing stakeholder consultation.