Kudos Mombasa Port, you can only do better

By hitting the one million container handling mark, the Port of Mombasa is steadily moving closer to the league of the world's best performing ports.

This milestone gives Kenyans reason to celebrate as we consolidate our status as a commercial hub in the region and expand our capacity to handle cargo.

This has been achieved through deliberate efforts by the Government to step up efficiency at the port. Streamlining Government agencies at the port has stepped up efficiency and transparency at the port.

Indeed, the port has over the last few years experienced an upsurge of cargo volumes despite the prevailing global economic depression. This presented numerous challenges to the port management, which had to respond quickly.

It had to embrace better equipment and ICT to hasten cargo clearance. The container dwell time reduced from 5.8 to 3.7 days this year, hence improved fluidity at the container terminal.

The State also lifted non-tariff barriers along the Northern Corridor, reducing truck turn-around time, especially for cargo trucks from the port to the landlocked countries.

These measures have also endeared Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to business people, who had for years complained of the inordinately long delays they suffered to clear goods from the Port of Mombasa.

KPA Chairman Danson Mungatana rightly says the customer is the king and KPA has an obligation to serve the king loyally and faithfully.

This is important because, as a parastatal of yore, urgency was not part of KPA's conduct. This is gradually changing. The port is becoming more business-friendly and Kenya is getting better because of this.

Going forward, the port needs better management practices, well-coordinated port cargo interveners and improved cargo-handling facilities.The dock workers, for instance, should not always be in the news threatening industrial action or go-slow for one grievance or another.

The management should also keep up with the emerging trends in the maritime trade and anticipated growth in cargo volumes.

Finally, with an efficient port, we hope traffic flow will improve and eliminate congestion on some roads.