Cargo at the port of Mombasa. FILE PHOTO | NMG
State agencies have waived penalties on overstayed cargo and
ordered owners to evacuate their freight within two weeks as authorities
fight to clear congestion at the port and inland depots.
The
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) have
asked all cargo owners to clear their consignments within the waiver
period or have the goods auctioned or destroyed.
The
two agencies said they had issued the waiver of storage charges and
customs warehouse rent for long stay cargo for 14 days effective
yesterday.
“Accordingly, the KPA will waive all storage
charges accrued on long stay cargo that will have been cleared with
effect from today,” said the agency in a media notice yesterday.
“Similarly,
the KRA will waive all customs warehouse rent on all long stay cargo
that will have been cleared within this period both at Mombasa port and
Inland Container Depot Nairobi.”
According to the
custom house regulations, cargo is declared to have stayed long after
spending 21 days and above at the facility.
The parastatals said the move would enhance operational
efficiency at the cargo yards and faster turnaround time of rail
services between Mombasa and Nairobi depot.
The KPA aims to transport 12 trains of cargo by December. Currently, it operates between seven and eight trains a day.
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