The transit cargo volume handled through the port of Mombasa has surged significantly due to the Kenya Ports Authority’s (KPA) renewed focus on enhancing efficiency. Although Uganda, the largest transit market for Mombasa, recorded a modest growth of 8.2% in the first half of 2024, KPA leveraged increasing interest from other Northern Corridor countries to achieve a remarkable 18.2% growth compared to the same period last year, according to statistics from The Standard.

KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto noted that despite the longer distance for Rwandan and Burundian importers using the Northern Corridor compared to the Central Corridor serving Dar es Salaam, Mombasa’s improved performance has made it the preferred choice.

In May 2024, the turnaround time for ships at Mombasa was just four days, compared to up to 25 days at Dar es Salaam earlier this year. This discrepancy has led some shipping lines to offload cargo at Mombasa for transshipment to Tanzania and Indian Ocean islands traditionally relying on Dar es Salaam.

Burundi experienced the highest growth, with Mombasa handling 1,502 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in the first half of 2024, a 320% increase from 357 TEUs in the same period last year. Rwanda nearly doubled its volume to 13,059 TEUs, marking an 82% growth, while Tanzania’s volumes grew by 62% to 8,325 TEUs.

KPA is also capitalizing on the markets of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). South Sudan’s cargo volumes grew by 20% to 15,072 TEUs, while DRC saw a 14% increase to 10,289 TEUs.

“South Sudan is a vast country expected to import large volumes of cargo for its growth. Mombasa port, due to its location and distance, is the ideal port for them. We have government-to-government and flexible arrangements for cargo release,” Ruto stated.

The acquisition of new equipment has been transformative for Mombasa port. Last year, KPA acquired four new ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes, replacing the older models at berth 16. These modern cranes, equipped with double-lift spreaders, have increased productivity by about 40% and reduced ship working time. In May, ship waiting time averaged 1.22 days, with cranes moving 38 containers per hour.

KPA has also added new reach stackers, empty container handlers, and terminal tractors to improve efficiency and handle increasing cargo volumes.

Kenya has launched an aggressive marketing campaign to attract new and traditional customers, with a focus on Ethiopia, which currently relies on the congested port of Djibouti. In the past six months, Mombasa handled 690 TEUs of Ethiopian cargo, a significant increase from 14 TEUs in the same period last year. KPA is also targeting Zambia, which imported 123 TEUs through Mombasa, up from just 4 TEUs last year.

Elijah Mbaru, acting CEO of the Kenya Ships Agents Association, highlighted the adoption of a Fixed Berth Window system, which has significantly improved ship turnaround times. This system allocates scheduled times for ships to berth and offload cargo.

The Intergovernmental Steering Committee on Ease of Doing Business, through the Port Reforms Working Group High-Level Consultative Forum, has recommended measures that have reduced business costs and improved efficiency at Mombasa port. These reforms, initiated by Kenya’s Head of State and other government departments, include a round-the-clock work culture to expedite goods clearance and improve cargo dwell time and ship turnaround.

Shipping lines operating at Mombasa Port have been granted a 9-day free period to return empty containers for local imports, 30 days for Uganda, and 15 days for DRC and South Sudan cargo. In comparison, the ports of Dar es Salaam, Durban, and Egypt offer more extended periods.

Mombasa port has the potential to capture up to 30-40% of Burundi and Rwanda volumes, according to Justus Nyarandi, Executive Secretary of the Northern Corridor Transit Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA). The 15-kilometer stretch past the Taveta-Holili One-Stop Border Post needs geofencing to ensure electronic cargo monitoring, enhancing the new Voi-Taveta-Singida-Kobero link road’s effectiveness in serving Burundi, Rwanda, and parts of Tanzania.