NAIROBI, Kenya — Surging cargo volumes at the Port of Mombasa have prompted port authorities and regional shippers to agree on new operational measures aimed at easing congestion and safeguarding efficiency at East Africa’s busiest maritime gateway.
The agreement was reached during a stakeholder forum convened by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and the Shippers Council of East Africa (SCEA), where industry players raised concerns over mounting infrastructure strain and delays linked to rising cargo traffic.
KPA data shows the port handled 45.45 million metric tonnes of cargo last year, a record throughput that has intensified pressure on handling equipment, berths and container yards.
KPA Managing Director William Ruto, a merchant navy captain, told stakeholders that congestion challenges cannot be addressed by the authority alone, warning that inefficiencies at the port reverberate across the entire transport and logistics chain.
“Solutions must involve all actors in the ecosystem. What happens at the port affects shipping lines, transporters, clearing agents and ultimately the cost of doing business in the region,” he said.
Among the key interventions discussed is the ongoing rehabilitation of Berth 19B, a move expected to expand cargo-handling capacity and reduce vessel waiting times. KPA is also constructing a dedicated yard for empty containers, which have been identified as a major contributor to congestion within the port precincts.
In parallel, the authority is accelerating the modernisation of its digital systems to improve cargo visibility and turnaround times. As part of this effort, entry and exit processes at Gates 23 and 24 are being automated to minimise manual inspections and paperwork. KPA officials said the automated system will later be rolled out across the entire port.
SCEA Chief Executive Agayo Ogambi acknowledged that despite the pressures, the Port of Mombasa remains a critical and generally reliable trade hub for the region. However, he cautioned that sustained coordination between port managers and shipping stakeholders is essential as cargo volumes continue to grow.
“The port has continued to play its role in supporting regional trade, but growth at this scale demands closer collaboration to prevent bottlenecks from undermining efficiency,” Ogambi said.
His remarks were echoed by SCEA Chairman John Msafari, who emphasised the value of regular engagement forums as a way of identifying operational problems early and agreeing on practical solutions.
The forum allowed shippers to directly present their concerns to port management, including delays in container evacuation, accumulation of empties, and gate congestion during peak hours. Both sides agreed that structured follow-up mechanisms would be necessary to track progress on the agreed measures.
The Port of Mombasa serves as a lifeline for Kenya and its hinterland, including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. With regional trade volumes projected to keep rising, stakeholders warned that failure to address congestion risks higher logistics costs and slower cargo movement, with knock-on effects for regional economies.
KPA said it will continue to engage industry players as it implements the agreed interventions, positioning the port to handle future growth while maintaining competitiveness in the Indian Ocean corridor.
