Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top
Maersk geared ship Mv Cap Carmel goes alongside to mark a historical day for Lamu Port as its first commercial ship to dock. Carmel was accorded all the trappings of a functional sea port.

Kenya

First ship docks at Kenya’s new Lamu port

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 20- The first commercial ship docked at the new Lamu port Thursday, ahead of the formal launch by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The commissioning of the Sh310 billion port elevates Kenya to a strategic position to wrest the trans-shipment market from Djibouti and South Africa, officials said.

The new port which will mainly handle trans-shipment cargo, comes at a time nearly all the ports in the region are undergoing upgrades to meet growing demand.

Lamu port is one of the main components of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor project and is expected to complement the port of Mombasa while opening Kenya’s largely underdeveloped frontier.

This will be through creation of a second corridor linking a new and modern Port of Lamu with Garissa, Isiolo, Maralal, Lodwar and Lokichogio and branching it to Isiolo to Moyale at border with Ethiopia and proceeding to the r border with Southern Sudan.

It is expected that the new port, which has capacity to handle bigger vessels, will attract some cargo “which would traditionally pass through the ports of Sudan, Djibouti and Mombasa.”

Authorities say the port will play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the local communities and the International market-not only for the goods in transit but also the celebrated history of the Island.

Kenya’s coastline plays an integral role in the regional economy by providing the artery through which goods are exported to the world.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News

NATIONAL NEWS

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 – In a significant development for the East African financial landscape, PayAngel, a global fintech company, has chosen Kenya as...

NATIONAL NEWS

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 – Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa has been arrested in an investigation into claims of an extortion racket targeting...

NATIONAL NEWS

The prestigious event, known for honoring the continent's top young entrepreneurs and Chief Executive Officers under 40, will showcase Kenya's growing influence in the...

NATIONAL NEWS

NAKURU, Kenya, Mar 28 – The Chief Magistrate’s Court in Naivasha has acquitted Joshua Waiganjo of close to 10 charges against him. The offenses...

NATIONAL NEWS

President William Ruto directed the Ministry of Sports to work with the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the WRC to make this a reality.

NATIONAL NEWS

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 – Small-scale traders and importers can now breath a sigh of relief after the Government ordered the release of their...

Sports

President William Ruto on Thursday officially flagged off the 2024 World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), Nairobi....

NATIONAL NEWS

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 27 – The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has approved the establishment of an employee protection unit for victims of sexual harassment...