President William Ruto has made an announcement revealing that the government will inject an additional $317 million (Ksh41 billion) into the Mombasa Port Expansion Project.
Speaking on September 17 during the commissioning of the Mombasa Commuter Rail Service, Ruto stated the project will be completed by the end of this year.
Project Factsheet
Goal: The main objective of the ongoing projects is to enhance the port’s capacity, improve efficiency, and solidify its status as a critical trade gateway for Kenya and the wider East and Central African region.
Key Strategy: The government is pursuing a blend of infrastructure upgrades, technology modernization, and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to drive port development.
Other infrastructure upgrades:
- Dredging: The port has undergone capital dredging to deepen its channel to 15 meters, allowing access for larger “Post-Panamax” vessels.
- Berth upgrades: Plans are in place to upgrade existing berths (e.g., Berths 11-14 and 16-18) to modern multipurpose terminals.
- Rail connectivity: The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) connecting Mombasa to Nairobi plays a crucial role in the port’s efficiency, providing a direct and high-capacity link for cargo to the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Nairobi.
Operational impact:
- Increased throughput: The various expansion projects have led to a significant increase in both annual cargo throughput (millions of tons) and container traffic (TEUs). The port surpassed 2 million TEUs for the first time in 2024.
- Efficiency: The upgrades aim to reduce congestion, decrease ship waiting times, and improve overall port productivity, strengthening its competitiveness against other regional ports.
- Economic development: The expansion supports economic growth in Kenya and the wider East African region by facilitating trade and creating job opportunities.
“The government has committed a total of Ksh41 billion to expand the Port of Mombasa. This will make it more efficient, bigger, and better,” President Ruto stated.
Government to Allocate Resources for Roads in Mombasa County
Additionally, the President added that the government will earmark resources to complete road projects in Mombasa County.
The President also highlighted the significance of the newly launched commuter rail link between the Mombasa central business district (CBD) and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) terminus in Miritini.
He described the railway service as timely, by saying that it addresses the long-standing challenges of traffic congestion, delays, and unreliable road transport in the coastal city.
Lastly, in the bigger picture, Ruto revealed that the project is part of the government’s ambitious strategy to expand Kenya’s rail network from Naivasha to Malaba through Kisumu, and across the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor.
