Mombasa Port and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) registered improved performance in the first quarter of 2021 as is intensified use technology to clear cargo.
The authority attributed the upturn to use of Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) for Cargo Clearance and seamless exchange of clearance data.
In the first three months of this year, a report indicates the Port witnessed increased volumes in container traffic registering 389,515 twenty foot equivalent units (Teus) against 340,812 Teus recorded in a similar period in 2020. Trans-shipment traffic recorded 69,658 Teus against 41,363 Teus during the corresponding period in 2020.
The container traffic translates to an increase of 48,703 Teus or 14.3 per cent while trans-shipment traffic registered a growth of 28,295 Teus representing 68.4 per cent increment.
Total imports during the quarter recorded 162,504 Teus up from 151,998 Teus in the same period last year registering a growth of 6.9 percent. Equally, exports registered an upsurge by 6.8 per cent from 146,049 Teus in 2020 to 156,007 Teus during the similar period in 2021.
March particularly boosted the port’s performance, registering a marked growth in both conventional and containerised cargo.
A total of 3.48 million tonnes were recorded in the month against 2.71 million tonnes in the corresponding month in 2020, which represents a performance of 768,453 tonnes or 28.4 per cent.
The performance was mainly attributed to increase in handling of wheat and clinker cargo.
For container traffic, the port recorded an increase of 31,261 Teus or 30.4 per cent to register 133,904 Teus in March 2021 against 102,643 Teus recorded in March 2020.
KPA acting Managing Director, Rashid Salim noted that February was captured as the highest performer ever in terms of daily average container throughput traffic with 4,662 Teus beating the record daily average throughput of 4,279 Teus recorded in July 2019.
He added that the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR handled its highest load yet at 25,104 Teus in March, which is an average of 8.32 trains per day beating the daily record average of 8.1 trains recorded in February.
Meanwhile, container vessel MV SL Tweety made her maiden call at the Port of Mombasa on Wednesday where she discharged 769 Teus at Berth No.16.
The ship with a length overall (LOA) of 212 metres and capacity of 2,450 TEUs is owned by Volta Shipping Line, the local agent being Magellan Logistics.
