By Philip Mwakio
A Kenyan delegation has returned from Mumbai, India, after discussing the future of port operations at the port of Mombasa.
The delegation, which had among others Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) chairman, Mr Shukri Baramadi, senior officials from the Privatisation Commission and representatives of Dockworkers Union, embarked on a fact-finding mission to understand benefits of private sector participation in future port concessions.
First on the itinerary was a visit to the APM Terminals operated by Gateway Terminals India (GTI) — the largest container port in India, serving the commercial and financial hub of Mumbai.
Speaking on behalf of APM Terminals, GTI Chief Executive Arvind Bhatnagar said the partnership created between APM Terminals and government run Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust has been an incredible success as far as privatisation is concerned.
"Since opening in 2004, the APM Terminals has seen productivity grow from 15 berth moves per hour to over 110, an increase of 700 per cent. As Kenya considers how best to position themselves in East Africa, it has been a pleasure having you here to share our experience," Bhatnagar told the Kenyan delegation.
Gateway Terminals India is part of the APM Terminals intergrated Global Terminal Network of 50 ports &Terminals and 122 inland facilities.Workforce stands at 22,000 employees in 64 countries on five continents.
"The KPA and AP Moller-Maersk Group have a long history of friendship, including a few years back when KPA participated in APM Terminals Africa Development Programme in the USA.
"The two renowned organisations share similar aspirations for the East African hub and we want to do whatever we can to ensure this vision is realised," he said.
