The Kenya Ports Authority has recorded huge improvement in cargo clearance and ship performance in just a few days since the new management took office.

On Monday, the parastatal announced it had reduced the number of containers sitting at the port from an all time high of 22,500 to about 10,000.

New MD Daniel Manduku attributed the improvement to efficiency measures, including seamless connection of operations between discharge and eventual delivery to location.

“We are committed to ensure that the numbers go much lower while maintaining good business practice. Those discharging from the cranes, those transporting from the terminal, those evacuating out of the port, and those doing documentation, all work in harmony,” he told the Star.

Manduku said anyone implicated in graft will be summarily dismissed and prosecuted.

He said no contraband will be allowed to pass through the port whose management is working with other agencies to enforce the law.

Manduku said that the chain process must be efficient because a small break in the link is normally passed on to eventual clogging of the port.

At the same time, he revealed that a new record ship performance has been registered at the Port of Mombasa, two years after the last one was set in 2015.

Container carrier Ms Kota Lambai, docked at berth No.17 and recorded 82 gross moves per hour, handling a total of 4,367 Twenty-toot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

The vessel recorded her first sling on Saturday at 8.20am and sailed on Sunday morning after registering her last sling at 6.00am.

Flying the Singaporean flag, the vessel with a length overall of 260.71m and a breadth of 32.3m broke the last record performance of 65 gross moves per hour by another container carrier MV Clemens Schulte in August 2015. The vessel was celebrated as one of the largest callers then spanning a length of 255 meters and 37.5 meters wide, with a capacity of 5,466 TEUS. The ship discharged 1,710 TEU’s and loaded 3,505 export containers.

At the same time, MV Ever Dynamic, made 1,117 gross moves, which translates to about seven hours of ship time at the berth, on Sunday.

This was another record break from the 1039 ship moves by MV Karmen in October 2015, which translated to over eight hours at the berth.

The gross moves detail the performance of ships, inclusive of delays as a result of technical issues, operations, working on cranes, and the general offloading and loading.

“MV Kota Lambai sailed yesterday after having attained 82 moves per hour compared to 65 gross moves per hour, the highest record, attained in 2015 by Clemence Chulte, a Maesk line vessel,” the MD said.

Manduku said the port only needs a motivated, well-trained, focused and cultured workforce.

“If we have this, performance will be improving and we shall be the best port in the region and beyond,” he added.

Manduku also revealed that the first meeting of the new board will be held on Friday.

“Because it is a new team, we shall discuss a number of issues and it shall also be more or less of an induction meeting for us,”he added.

Mandukue said he was determined to make Mombasa the best port within a year through service-centred operations.

He urged upon stakeholders to partner with the the port management to ensure the national interest is achieved.

“We need well serviced, modern equipment to ensure our systems flow too,” he added.

Source: The Star

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