📈 A Strategic Overhaul for Regional Leadership
The Ksh 41 billion investment in the Mombasa Port is more than an infrastructure project; it is a strategic move to solidify Kenya’s position as the premier trade gateway for East and Central Africa . This expansion is a direct response to record-breaking cargo volumes, which saw the port handle over 2 million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) and 41 million tonnes of cargo in 2024 . The project aims to future-proof the port against congestion and capitalize on growing trade opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) .
Key to this transformation is the construction of Berth 19B, a 240-meter-long quay that will add 300,000 TEUs of annual capacity . This new infrastructure, being built offshore with a draft of 12.2 meters, is designed to handle larger cargo vessels of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnage . The project also includes significant equipment modernization, such as the installation of rails for 980-tonne ship-to-shore gantry cranes and the creation of five hectares of new container stacking areas .
Beyond the port itself, the government is implementing complementary projects to create a seamless logistics corridor. The newly commissioned Mombasa Commuter Rail Service linking the city center to the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) terminus is a critical “first and last mile” connection designed to decongest the city and improve the efficiency of moving people and goods . This, along with road projects like the six-lane Kipevu road, ensures that gains in port capacity are not lost to delays on land .
