•AGL is part of the MSC Group, a world leader in maritime transport and logistics and the biggest container shipping line.
•It has been allocated 20 acres of land at the SEZ which it will use for cargo handling.
Africa Global Logistics Kenya, a prominent player in Africa’s transport and logistics sector, is eyeing an increase in cargo business as it moves to invest in the Naivasha Special Economic Zone.
It is among companies that have been allocated land by the government at the SEZ, where President William Ruto on Saturday commissioned a power sub-station to support operations at the facility.
AGL has secured 20 acres of land at the SEZ. On Saturday, the company was among those issued with Special Economic Zone licenses by the President.
According to management, the strategic initiative by the government emphasises the crucial role that Special Economic Zones play in catalysing industrialisation and fostering the development of domestic supply chains.
The firm plans to use the space for cargo handling, mainly transit goods being moved by the SGR from Mombasa to the Naivasha Inland Container Depot, before being transferred to the Metre Gauge Rail for delivery to Malaba.
The move is geared towards promoting and facilitating international trade by simplifying customs procedures and encouraging seamless cross-border logistics operations, the firm said.
“This allocation at the Naivasha Special Economic Zone is certainly in line with our commitment to providing best-in- class logistics services. This will increase efficiency and aid in the growth of Kenya’s logistics sector” AGL East Africa regional managing director, Jason Reynard, said.
He said the government’s decision to allocate land to AGL at the Naivasha SEZ is a significant step forward for Kenya’s logistics industry.
According to the government, the Naivasha SEZ provides first-world infrastructure and bureaucratic and administrative efficiency at globally competitive prices and more so, for the fact that it is geo-strategically located.
Its value proposition includes modern transport infrastructure that connects landlocked Eastern African countries via rail or road.
“As AGL prepares to capitalise on this opportunity, it reflects a broader trend of collaboration between governments and the private sector to boost economic growth through strategic investments in logistics and trade,” the firm said.
A multimodal logistics operator (port, logistics, sea, and rail) in Africa, AGL is part of the MSC Group, a world leader in maritime transport and logistics and the biggest container shipping line.
“With expertise developed over more than a century and more than 23,000 employees in 49 countries, AGL provides its African and global customers with bespoke and innovative comprehensive logistics solutions, intending to make a lasting contribution to Africa’s transformation,” management said.
AGL is also present in Haiti and Timor.
In Kenya, it is among the biggest users of the Standard Gauge Railway and Metre Gauge Rail freight services between Mombasa-Naivasha and Malaba, where cargo is then moved by road into the hinterland.
According to AGL, the Naivasha facility is a critical investment as it heeds the call by its customers, who are increasingly emphasising sustainability and carbon reduction.
This is by using rail transport as opposed to road whose impact is bigger.
AGL has over 2,000 employees in Kenya with the Naivasha facility expected to create more jobs.