The Kenya Ports Authority has started trial runs of berth number 22 of the second container terminal at the Port of Mombasa.
This comes just one week after the phase two of the terminal at the port was officially handed over to the KPA management.
Phase two has a 300-metre-long berth number 22, which has a draft of 15 metres deep and is capable of handling Panamax and Post-Panamax ships.
It also has a container terminal with an additional capacity of 450,000 20-foot equivalent units, port terminal buildings and the Kipevu Clinic.
The terminal was constructed on a reclaimed area of approximately 17.5 hectares and completed in three packages.
Last week, Toyo Construction Company handed over the terminal whose construction began in September 2018 and took 44 months to be completed.
KPA acting managing director John Mwangemi said with the completion of the new terminal, the capacity of the Port of Mombasa is set to increase to 2.1 million TEUs annually.
On Monday, KPA management began a trial run on berth 22.
“The newly constructed berth 22 is complete and ready to dock ships of up to 300 metres length overall with a draft of 15 metres deep,” KPA said in a statement.
In the trial run, KPA engineers and the marine team successfully docked a 264-meter-long CMA- CGM vessel MV Jamaica using two tugboats and two mooring boats.
“The vessel is discharging 2,704 TEUs import cargo and is expected to load 3,738 TEUs of export cargo-carrying mainly agricultural products and minerals ores from East Africa,” the KPA statement reads in part.
MV Jamaica, a cellular container ship, is a flagship CMA CGM vessel flying the flag of Malta and operates under the Asia East Africa Kenya Service, connecting East Africa and the far East.
At the same time, the Port of Mombasa is in the next two weeks expected to receive 35 vessels, according to the shipping schedule from KPA.
A total of 24 vessels carrying varied conventional cargo, including steel products, clinker, wheat, rice and motor vehicles will dock at the port.
Another 11 vessels with containers are also expected between June 13 and 25.
The Port of Mombasa is also expected to receive six motor vehicle carriers with 2,931 units this month (June).
MV Graceful Leader alone will discharge 1,063 units.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
