The Kenya ports Authority (KPA) has plans to construct phase II of the second container terminal at the port of Mombasa. KPA is securing US$ 339.2m loan from the Japanese government to finance the project construction. Construction work at the port is set to start in January 2018.
According to KPA Managing Director Catherine Mturi-Wairi, the development tendering for the project is set to start soon.
The development comes after KPA announced that it had secured two state-of-the art electric cranes to help boost efficiency at the port. The cranes will also help mitigate negative effects on the environment.
TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) is funding the cranes through the UK government’s International Climate Fund (ICF) facility at a cost of US $8.7m.
Latest data from Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) shows that Mombasa port cargo traffic registered an 11.9% growth in the first six months of 2017. This necessitates the construction of the second container terminal.
Facing heightened competition from Tanzania, Mombasa port has been striving to boost efficiency to give it a competitive edge.
In 2015, Tanzania was planning construction of a mega port in Bagamoyo that would be the largest in East and Central Africa. It has, however, temporarily halted plans reportedly due to financial constraints.
The biggest port in East Africa and the region’s trade gateway. Mombasa handles imports of fuel and consumer goods. Mombasa also exports of tea and coffee from landlocked neighbours such as Uganda and South Sudan. Besides, the traffic flows serve as a barometer of economic activity in the region.
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