In Port News 16/03/2015
It is a great honour for me to be part of this momentous occasion when the Port of Mombasa enters the millionth Container Ports league.
This is a proud moment that is worthy celebrating and perfect New Year gift that KPA is giving to the Kenyan and our neighboring countries’ economies.
I would like to state that the Port is playing well its pivotal role as a supply chain catalyst and strengthening Kenya as the region’s premier commercial hub.
Handling one million containers in a year is a remarkable feat for a port in Africa by any measure; I am informed that only Durban in Africa, South of Sahara is there.
Our special thanks go to our stakeholders who consistently found value in our services and have travelled with us on our journey.
On this note, I wish to congratulate KPA and the Port Community for this historical achievement.
The government has also made significant input to the success of the port operations and efficiency.
Through the Presidential directives of June 2013 the government came up with various measures that have reduced to bare minimum non-tariff barriers along the Northern Corridor that serves the East and Central Africa Region.
We have been allowing loaded trucks to weigh only twice between the Port and the boarder points without further inspection at police mobile road blocks unless for exceptional security reasons.
These efforts have seen substantial benefits to port users, among others, reduction in contain-er dwell time and transit times to neigh-boring countries.
Furthermore the government is at the fore-front in supporting capacity expnsion programmes that have greatly con-tributed to the port capacity to match the ever increasing cargo volumes.
The completion of the dredging project in 2012 and berth number 19 in 2013 saw the port become a popular destination for relatively bigger vessels.
This indeed contributed to the achievement we are celebrating today.
For us to continue achieving these kinds of successes, it is important our Ports leverage on innovation and technology.
The Kenya Single Window System partially went live in October last year. The government is keen to see this system working in full.
By implementing this system cargo interveners will avoid logging on multiple systems hence ease documentation process, quicken cargo clearance and lower the cost of doing business in the region. Kenya Ports Authority is an anchor player.
The Authority has made significant strides in automation of essential port services through SAP, Kilindini Water-front Automated Terminal Operating System (KWATOS) and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems.
This is a journey that will eventually see Mombasa become an e-port with all systems web-enabled.
I call upon all stakeholders to speed up their ICT programs so that we can all move together towards automation and maximize port efficiency.
Other projects and initiatives that are in progress and we have continued to fastback as a government include:
• Construction of the Second Container Terminal whose Phase one is 70 per cent complete and will be operational by March 2016.
• Construction of the First Three Berths at Lamu Port.
• Construction of the Standard Gauge Railway connecting Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.The construction has started and should be completed by 2017.
• The Proposed alter-native route from Mombasa Port to Burundi that will pass through Holili boarder-Singida-Kobero border and finally to Bujumbura.
This Corridor will reduce the distance from Mombasa to Bujumbura through the Northern Corridor by 358 Kms.
So far the government has commen-ced upgrading of the road from Voi to Taveta on the Kenyan side.
• KPA has also acquired 50 acres of land at Taveta (Kenya – Tanzania boarder) to position itself in bringing business closer to Burundians by establishing an Inland Container Depot.
• The National Transport and Safety Authority, has continued to sensitize motorists and passengers on road safety issues.
We signed the Vehicle Axle Load Charter on 13th October 2014, to self regulate our usage of the road infrastructure.
Stakeholders present: It is worth noting that through the support of our investment partners like the World Bank, the African Development Bank and Trademark East Africa Ltd, we have ensured that East African Community states are moving in the same direction and at fairly same speed in infra-structural developments.
As I conclude I would like to reaffirm government commitment to port efficiency. I would also wish to con-gratulate KPA for consistently keeping pace with the emerging maritime industrial demands, commitment to service delivery and reduction to costs of doing business and time.
