By BUSINESS DAILY

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Container traffic through the Mombasa port is set to surpass its annual target of 1.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), having clocked 1.32 million within the first 10 months of 2023, the Kenya Ports Authority said.

The performance to October means that the container throughput has grown 10.2 percent compared to a similar period in 2022 when it handled 1.2 million TEUs—a feat the port operator attributed to improved efficiency.

Read: Mombasa port’s new cranes to boost efficiency

This comes as the outlook for the next 14 days indicates 42 cargo vessels will call the Port of Mombasa during this period with 25 accounting for container ships.

KPA Managing Director William Ruto attributed the improved performance to increased efficiency in operations.

"These initiatives include the expansion of container handling berths, increased automation of services, acquisition of modern ship and cargo handling equipment, and improved partnerships with key government agencies and stakeholders," he said.

Some of the initiatives that contributed to increased throughput include the expansion of container handling berths, increased automation of services, acquisition of modern ship and cargo handling equipment, and improved partnerships with key government agencies and stakeholders.

Currently, the port of Mombasa has 16 ship-to-shore gantries (STSs), 25 reach stackers, 27 empty container handlers, 58 rubber-tyred, and eight rail-mounted gantries among other equipment.

Last year, the authority received a brand-new set of three STSs which were installed at the newly completed berth number 22 which has been operational ever since.

Read: Kenya transshipment cargo volume drops 20pc

In August this year the Authority acquired and installed yet another four STSs which are twin lift enabled replacing the aged single lift STSs at the Port of Mombasa’s berth No. 16 further enhancing the Authority’s capacity for faster ship turnaround time.