• New plans include cable cars , screening and introduction of new ferry sergices in Lamu, Lake Victoria, and Lake Turkana.
• Enhanced gadgets to improve safety and attract more people to use their services.
Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) has unveiled a five year strategic plan to upgrade and diversify its services to beat the looming competition expected to be caused by the completion of the Sh30 billion Dongo Kundu by pass in Mombasa County.
Top among the plans set to be implemented is to introduce new ferry services in Lamu, Lake Turkana and Lake Victoria as part of the expansion services by the KFS that is a national body.
New Kenya Ferry Services Board of Management led by chairman Dan Mwazo announced that they also plan to modernize the services to ensure there are more safety measures , and screening for security purposes.
Addressing a press conference while unveiling the strategic plan at Ocean beach resort in Malindi he said their aim is to customize services to change of the face.
He said they would introduce special services to cater for the disabled and come up with the cable cars.
“Our intention is to satisfy services to attract more customers to seek our services, “he said during a KFS board of management
Mwazo said they will introduce scanning of vehicle and people using digital enhanced gadgets to improve safety and attract more people to use their services.
The chairman said they have challenges including lack of profit due to inadequate revenue obtained from the vehicles which are the only ones paying fees.
He said they are unable to increase fees as they have to get approval from the ministry of transport
He said they will also purchase new modern ferries which are big and fast.
The KFS managing director Bakari Gowa said they are also planning to build floating hotels using the old ferries as part of customer attractions.
He said they have formed a partnership with Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) to train its staffs and improve capacity building by ensuring they are able to obtain for construction and repair of ships and ferries within Kenya.
“We plan to open up a ferry museum using the e old ferries to enlighten the future generation on the history of ferry in the country,’’ he said.
The move he said will help the future generation know the history of ferries.