The Port of Mombasa has registered 146,739 TEU in May 2023, setting a new record container traffic performance in a single month.
The figure represents a growth of 23.55 per cent against May 2022, when the port recorded 118,765 TEU.
According to the port, there has been a positive trajectory in container traffic performance for the last three months in March and April 2023, recording 132,119 TEU and 138,373 TEU respectively.
This compares favourably well with the performances of 112,245 TEU and 121,249 TEU handled in the corresponding period in 2022.
From January to May 2023, the port recorded 648,692 TEU compared to 595,319 TEU recorded in the corresponding period last year; an increase of 53,319 TEU or 8.97 per cent.
This performance has surpassed the set target by 27,973 TEU or 4.5 per cent, implying that the Port of Mombasa is likely to realise an annual container traffic of 1.48 million TEU by the end of the year, the port reported.
On the other hand, in the last three months, the average container dwell time has improved to 3.5 days down from 4.0 days.
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The berth working time improved from an average of 2.6 days to 1.7 days while the average gross moves per ship per hour increased to 36 from 34.
KPA Managing Director, William Ruto, has noted that the authority is expecting to receive five new Harbour Mobile Cranes.
Three of them will be deployed at the Port of Lamu while two will be used in Mombasa to enhance operations.
He also noted that four Ship-to-Shore (STS) gantry cranes are expected in July this year to replace the old ones.
According to Ruto, the four gantries are more robust and powerful with capacity to lift two containers at once as opposed to the old single lift cranes.
The arrival of the four new STS cranes in July is expected to aid the port in enhancing ship operations and further reduce ship turnaround time.
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According to Sudi Mwasinago, General Manager of Cargo Operations, the deployment of new yard equipment has tremendously improved ship operations at the container terminals.
KPA acquired 12 Reach Stackers and nine empty container handlers in December 2022, which were commissioned to operations in January this year, thereby boosting the yard and ship operations.
The completion of the second phase of the second container terminal has also increased the Port of Mombasa’s capacity by an additional 450,000 TEU, giving room for better ship and yard planning to enhance efficiency, according to the port.
The Port of Mombasa currently has a capacity to handle 2.1 million TEU and, so far, it has been able to handle slightly less than 1.5 million TEU annually.
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Earlier in the year, a feasibility study conducted by consultancy ABL Group investigated two possible brownfield sites for the installation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at the Port of Mombasa.