Kenya’s main port says cargo handling up 13.9 pct in Jan.-Oct.

MOMBASA, Kenya, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — Kenya’s main seaport, the Port of Mombasa, said Thursday it handled 33.78 million tonnes of cargo in the first 10 months this year, up 13.9 percent from 29.66 million tonnes posted in the same period of 2023.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) attributed the increase to jumps in containerized cargo, which rose 21.1 percent to 3.12 million tonnes, and liquid bulk, which grew 9.0 percent to 697,648 tonnes.
“Current projections for the end of 2024 indicate that the Port of Mombasa will handle approximately 40.535 million tonnes in cargo throughput, 480,241 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in transshipment traffic, and 13.416 million tonnes in transit traffic,” the KPA said in a statement issued in Mombasa.
According to the KPA, imports and exports recorded moderate growth of 31,915 TEUs, or 5.4 percent, and 30,923 TEUs, or 5.4 percent, respectively.
KPA Managing Director William Kipkemboi Ruto said expanding sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and construction, which rely on Mombasa for efficient import and export processes, contributed to the increased throughput.
“This transformation attracted direct calls from larger vessels, reducing reliance on feeder networks and making Mombasa a key port for global shipping lines,” Ruto said.
He added that several global trends have also favored Mombasa, such as the shift toward larger vessels, due to their economies of scale, driving ports worldwide to adapt.
“To meet the demands of East African trade, the KPA initiated major upgrades, notably deepening the harbor in 2013 to accommodate ships with up to 10,000 TEUs,” Ruto said. ■