Cargo off-take at Mombasa port showing positive signs

Uganda’s power. Business slowdown at Mombasa port trickled down to Uganda since the latter relies on the port as a major gateway for imports.

Cargo off- take from the Port of Mombasa to the hinterland has indicated positive signs of full resumption, Kenya Ports Authority has said.

Anxiety gripped East Africans as Kenya went to the polls on Monday, March 4, leading to a slowdown in business as traders closed shop in Kenya and some parts of Uganda.

According to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), transporters have gained confidence in the prevailing security measures along the Northern Corridor.

Port police in a communication from KPA said: “The Mombasa-Malaba highway is safe and no single incident has been reported in the on-going electioneering period.”

KPA managing director, Gichiri Ndua, was further informed that the first truck that left the port on Tuesday, a day after the elections, had arrived safely at the border.
On Thursday about 70 trucks loaded with containers, left Mariakani for the hinterland. The meeting advised transporters who had pulled their trucks off the road citing security concerns to resume business.

Meanwhile, operations at the busy port on Friday went on smoothly with five vessels reportedly working at the now expanded container terminal.
“A total of 966 TEUs (20 feet containers), out of which 342 TEUs were for transit, were delivered from the port on Thursday. An average of about 1,200 TEUs would leave the port by road on a normal day,” KPA communication said.

Available statistics confirm that total container population at the port stood at 12,299 TEUs by close of business Friday, while another 9,036 TEUs are expected to arrive aboard 13 container ships in the next 14 days.
“There are no vessels waiting for port facilities,” KPA said.

dnakaweesi@ug.nationmedia.com