THE government has urged Kenyan investors to prepare to bid for management of two additional berths planned for the Port of Mombasa.

Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet secretary Michael Kamau said yesterday that the government will soon invite bids from private investors for management of the two berths set to be complete by February 2016.

“The company must have operated a port somewhere before of about 400,000 TEUs,” said Kamau yesterday.

The Sh23 billion project has a planned capacity of 20foot equivalent containers (TEU) of at least 550,000.

Kamau said that while it was unlikely that any Kenyan firm or investor would meet the set qualifications, the government will require that the company that wins the management contract has at least 49 per cent local ownership.

The CS highlighted said port operations shall be made highly technical and transparent to improve the cost of doing business.

He was speaking yesterday in Nairobi during a luncheon hosted by Kenya Ports Authority for all business stakeholders.

KPA boss Gichiri Ndua said the authority has been able to improve its operations to cut dwell time of containers, the duration it takes to clear cargo.

The dwell time has reduced from an average 5.8 days last year to the current 3.7 days.

Source URL: The Star

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