BY PAUL TENTENA
KAMPALA, UGANDA- Uganda still remains the predominant transit destination through Mombasa Port, with a total transit traffic of 7,112,971 tons in 2017 up from 6,346,715 tons in 2016 according to officials from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
This was an increment of 522,876 tons between the two years representing an 82.3% share of the total transit cargo through Mombasa Port.
“Uganda’s import traffic is the driver of this growth, recording a notable volume of 6,590.095 tons in 2017 against 5,922,160 tons handled in 2016. This represents a volume growth of 667,935 tons or 11.3%,” said Edward Kamau the General Manager Corporate Services Kenya Ports Authority.
He said exports as well as imports realized a marginal increase of 522,876 tons in 2017 against 424,555 tons handled in 2016, reflecting a mild increase of 98,321 tons or 23.2%.
The total through put registered at Mombasa Port had a notable growth of 10.9% recording 30.35 million tons from the 27.36 million tons that was recorded in 2016. The increase was attributed to improved efficiency assisted by continued investment in infrastructure development.
Kamau said imports through Mombasa Port grew by 10.7% posting 25.6 million tons in 2017 from 23.12 million tons in 2016. It accounted for a dominant traffic share of 84.4% of the total throughput reflecting a huge imbalance of trade.
“On the other hand, exports increased by 3.8% recording 3.8million tons up from 1.09 million tons handled in 2016. Container traffic increased by 9% recording 1.19 million TEU in 2017 up from 1.09 million TEU handled in 2016. Transit traffic posted a significant increase from 7.75 million tons in 2016 to 8.63 million tons in 2017, reflecting a notable volume growth of 888,069 tons or 11.5%,” said Kamau.
In terms of transit traffic through Mombasa Port, South Sudan came second to Uganda with a total traffic of 673,752 tons in 2017 up from 597,852 tons in 2016 representing a 7.8% share of total transit cargo.
Democratic Republic of Congo had about 360,124 tons down from 376,935 tons in 2016. It represented a 4.2% share of total transit cargo in 2017 through Mombasa Port. Rwanda and Tanzania had declining levels of transit cargo through Mombasa Port while Burundi had an increase of 0.3%.
