The Kenya Ports Authority is seeking to reduce cargo dwell time
at Mombasa from the current four days to two days beginning January in
an effort to win over traders who have opted for rival facilities.
Authority
managing director Gichiri Ndua said they intend to reduce ship working
time to two days from next year as the authority battles to win back
transporters who have chosen Dar-es-salaam port in the recent past.
“This
will be made possible by raising containerised traffic to 15 moves per
hour…the measures will be implemented from January next year,” Mr Ndua
said in KPA’s 2014 score card.
The authority and
agencies handling cargo at the port have been under pressure from the
Jubilee Government to improve its efficiency and increase the pace of
goods movement along the Northern Corridor.
DWELL TIME REDUCED
By June, the Mombasa Port dwell time -average number of days it takes cargo to leave the port terminal from the time it is off-loaded from the vessel - was recorded at 3.7 days from 5.8 in 2013.
By June, the Mombasa Port dwell time -average number of days it takes cargo to leave the port terminal from the time it is off-loaded from the vessel - was recorded at 3.7 days from 5.8 in 2013.
Several
studies have indicated that inefficiencies and high cost at the
facility have seen several importers opt for Tanzania and by extension
using the Central Corridor at the expense of the northern counterpart.
Mr
Ndua said construction of phase one of the second container
terminal-that is expected to significantly boost the port’s vessels
handling capacity- is 65 per cent complete.
“The new
unit has a capacity of 15,000 standard 20-foot containers (TEU) annually
and we expect to witness additional handling volume,” he said.
A
report by the Shippers council in September said that traders based in
Kigali, Bujumbura and Goma are opting for the Dar due to cost
considerations.
It said importers pay less to move
goods through Tanzania’s Central Corridor than from Mombasa port through
Kenya’s Northern Corridor.
The number of vessels
docking in Mombasa between January to November 2014 went up by 51 to hit
1,691 up from 1,620 last year which KPA attributes to efficiency
improvements.
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