Mombasa Port banks on operational efficiency to spur growth

The Port of Mombasa is banking on improved operational efficiencies to receive shipping companies that yearn for expeditious and cost-effective routes.

Mombasa Port last week welcomed the MV Jolly Giada, which unloaded 2,000 Tonne Equivalent Units (TEUs) at the harbour.

Notably, 35 per cent of this cargo, totaling 700 containers, constituted transit cargo destined for Dar es Salaam. Since last December, Dar es Salaam Port has grappled with a substantial backlog, imposing elevated costs on shippers through demurrage payments.

The Kenya Ports Authority has reported a surge in initial calls to the Port of Mombasa, attributing the growth to enhancements in operational efficiency that have significantly reduced ship waiting times.

"Mombasa has observed a rise in the number of initial calls to the port, with the growth credited to operational efficiency improvements that have led to decreased ship waiting times," said the Kenya Ports Authority.

Key metrics indicate the port's increased competitiveness over its counterparts in the region. The turnaround time for container vessels dropped from an average of three days in 2022 to two days in 2023.

Furthermore, the average container dwell time decreased to 3.5 days from 3.9 days in 2022, marking a 10 per cent improvement.

Ship waiting time for containerised vessels was reduced to a mere 0.2 days, while the gross vessel turnaround time saw a substantial decline from 90.5 hours in 2022 to 64.1 hours in 2023.

The Port of Mombasa is experiencing a notable influx of transit cargo, primarily from landlocked countries diverting to Kenya, due to quicker turnaround times in clearance processes. 

Transit traffic witnessed robust growth, reaching 10.4 million tonnes in the 11 months leading up to November 2023.

The Port of Mombasa has come to the rescue of regional ports including Dar es Salaam and Djibouti, which are facing congestion as tens of ships wait to offload cargo.

KPA Managing Director William Ruto confirmed the reports and attributed the short turn-around time to investment in modern technology.

"KPA has invested in modern equipment, expanding the berths, training, and embracing technology to make doing business at the port easy," Ruto said.

Owing to the efficiency at the port, Ruto said only one vessel, MV Cul Manila, was waiting to dock in Mombasa, as opposed to 38 ships that have been waiting for space to offload cargo in Dar es Salaam since last month.

The congestion at the Dar port has made the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) suspend the bagging of loose cargo inside Dar es Salaam Port to reduce the number of waiting ships, thus causing congestion in the facility.

TPA officials, in a letter to port stakeholders, explained the move as meant to increase the number of waiting ships, which has reached 40. This affords the port time to evacuate cargo and reduces waiting time for ships at the outer anchorage.

The letter was addressed to major loose cargo operators in Dar port, including Export Trade Group Yara Tanzania Company, Zenj General Merchandise and Premium Agro.

"Due to the current line-up (sic) of vessels at the outer anchorage waiting for berthing, we wish to inform you that bagging of cargo inside the port will be temporarily suspended to evacuate and reduce waiting time at the outer anchorage," reads the letter.

According to gomet.com, an online real-time port congestion portal, Dar es salaam has recorded 16 days of ship waiting time; Djibouti five days, with 18 ships waiting, while Mombasa has recorded the highest port turn-around time of one day.