It's all systems go for Thursday launch of Lamu port

The government will provide maximum security ahead of the commissioning of the new Lamu port, Coast regional commissioner John Elungata has said.

Elungata toured the port on Sunday. The facility will be commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday, the same day it’s expected to receive its maiden cargo vessel.

The foundation stone of the LAPSSET project was laid by former President Mwai Kibaki in 2012, a dream that finally comes to fruition nine years later.

Recruitment of various departmental staff members at the port has since taken place with more expected to be brought on board later.

The Lamu Port is a Kenya Vision 2030 flagship project and is expected to transform regional economies through increased trade, integration and inter-connectivity spanning South Sudan and landlocked Ethiopia.

“I am here to make last minute checks to ensure we are at all systems go before the President comes to officially open this port on May 20. Today, I wish to announce that Lamu is ready in every aspect for the port opening,” Elungata said.

He said adequate security measures had been taken to ensure that the port, staff and cargo are safe at all times through deployment of port security on site.

Kenya Ports Authority acting managing director Rashid Salim said the Lamu Port will be the second largest commercial seaport after that of Mombasa.

The new port has been developed by the China Communications Construction company.

The KPA has since dispatched a consignment of crucial marine equipment for handling cargo transfers to ships, barges and trucks as the new port prepares to handle international shipments.

“We are now just moments away from the new port’s vision of becoming a regional transshipment hub for bulk business. Already, crucial equipment like rubber tyred gantries, ship-to-shore cranes, low load trailers, extension cargo handlers, tag boats, trailers, terminal tractors, forklifts, rail chains and channel buoys to be used at the new facility are already at the port site,” Salim said.

He noted that the Lamu Port has a huge potential for business as its located right in the middle of major shipping routes for global trade.

He revealed that there will be no competition between the port of Mombasa and that of Lamu as each will in the long-run have its own established routes to function in.

Salim disclosed that the Lamu Port has the capabilities to handle post-Panamax ships from the international shipping lines that ply the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

“Lamu will be the focal point of a massive regional transshipment hub capable of accommodating goods being transported by sea, rail, land and air," he said.

KPA is working closely with the Kenya Revenue Authority and other relevant state agencies to set out the modalities of offering incentives to shipping lines docking at the new facility.

Lamu Port general manager Abdullahi Samatar said the new port when complete will have 32 deep sea berths, adding that three of the major berths have been completed.

The three are designed to handle 30,000 Dead Weight Tonnage and 100,000 DWT for general and bulk and container cargo respectively.

He said Lamu Port has the capacity to handle jumbo-sized ships with carrying capacity of between 12,000 to 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) ships.

Edited by Henry Makori