Long-stay cargo at Mombasa Port to be moved to ease congestion

Containers at the port of Mombasa. [File]

Cargo that has remained at the Port of Mombasa for more than 21 days, including consignments earmarked for auction or destruction, will be transferred to container freight stations in a bid to ease congestion.

In a statement on Saturday, January 24, the Kenya Revenue Authority said it will work with the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to implement the measure as an urgent intervention to decongest the port.

“As an urgent intervention to ease congestion, stakeholders resolved that all long-stay consignments earmarked for auction or destruction will be transferred to designated Container Freight Stations, beginning with cargo that has remained at the port beyond21 days,” KRA said.

The evacuation exercise will start at the port’s G-section and is expected to free up more yard space and improve operational flow.

“The Port of Mombasa is not only a national asset but a critical regional gateway. Our objective is to eliminate bottlenecks, reduce cargo dwell time, and build a predictable, efficient, and digitally enabled clearance system that supports trade and economic growth,” Commissioner-General Humphrey Wattanga said.

The Authority also plans to accelerate cargo clearance by expanding the pre-arrival processing framework and prioritising bulk cargo, low-risk shipments, and consignments belonging to authorised economic operators.

“The enhanced system will allow cargo to be processed before arrival, significantly reducing clearance times and minimising delays.”

To further reduce pressure on major road corridors, KRA plans to engage the Kenya Railways to deploy additional wagons on the Standard Gauge Railway to speed up the transfer of cargo to the Embakasi and Naivasha inland container depots.