An NYK cargo vessel was headed to the Port of Mombasa Wednesday as the busy gateway prepared to handle 15 conventional cargo vessels, 12 oil tankers, and 15 car carriers in the coming days.
Even as Mombasa remains East Africa’s busiest port, its sister facility in Lamu has made history.
The Port of Lamu recently received MV Nagoya Express, the longest vessel ever to dock at an East African port, marking what the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) describes as a game-changing moment for regional maritime trade.
The 335-meter container ship, operated by German shipping line Hapag-Lloyd, collected 140 transshipped TEUs destined for New York. The cargo had been earlier discharged at Lamu by MV Tolten, also operated by Hapag-Lloyd.
According to KPA, the arrival of Nagoya Express underscores Lamu’s design as a deep-water port capable of handling ultra-large vessels beyond Mombasa’s 323-meter turning limit.
“This arrival proves Lamu was not built as an afterthought. It was built with vessels like Nagoya Express in mind,” said Captain Abdulaziz Mzee, speaking on behalf of KPA Managing Director Capt. William Ruto.
The vessel’s master, Captain Sylwester Mackiewicz, praised the port’s accessibility and scale, remarking, “I didn’t expect Lamu to be this huge.” Guided in by KPA Chief Pilot Capt.
Suleiman Bakari and Capt. Mzee, the ship safely berthed at Berth No. 2. Two CMA CGM vessels are expected next week, further boosting Lamu’s profile as a rising regional hub.
This historic docking follows another major milestone for KPA — the completion and handover of the Sh2.6 billion Shimoni Fish Port in Kwale County.
Constructed by Southern Engineering Company (SECO), the facility features a modern jetty, cold storage, and fish processing plants to strengthen Kenya’s fisheries value chain.
Capt. Ruto hailed the project as a strategic shift in KPA’s operations towards specialized infrastructure for the blue economy. “This facility will create jobs, spur local economic growth, and open new export opportunities,” he said.
The port’s infrastructure includes a 75m by 30m jetty and a 135m causeway capable of berthing two fishing vessels simultaneously.
Once commissioned, it is expected to transform the local economy through value addition and expanded regional and international fish exports.
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