The construction of the first three berths at the proposed Lamu port is running ahead of schedule, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has said. The ministry projects that the first berth will be operational by June 2018.
Transport PS Irungu Nyakera said works on the project have been facilitated by the Sh10 billion allocated to the Lamu Port Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport project this financial year, ending next June, by the National Treasury.
“The project has received very good support from the exchequer. People don’t believe that Lapsset is moving, but I can tell you we are ahead of schedule at 12.5 per cent against 12.1 per cent which is what we had anticipated by now since the works begun early this year,” Nyakera said.
The construction involves reclamation of the sea which will place the berths more than 700 metres into the Indian Ocean, with the first three berths stretching 1.2 kilometres wide with a width of 750 metres.
“You need at least 24 months to deliver a berth especially when reclaiming. We are on time,” Nyakera said.
He was speaking on Friday when the Lapsset and Kenya Ports Authority boards met at the Lamu port headquarters to discuss the project’s progress.
The contractor, China Roads and Bridge Corporation, is also dredging the quayside, deepening the docking area for ships by 17.5 metres. The dredging begun on October 15.
The ministry has proposed a further Sh10 billion for the project in the 2017/18 budget policy statement.

“Lapsset is a key project and we believe as government we are going to deliver,” Nyakera said, adding the Sh2.5 trillion project will contribute 1.5 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product once operational.
KPA signed a $478.9 million (Sh48.8 billion) deal with CRBC in August 2014, for the construction of the first three berths.
KPA managing director Catherine Mturi said the Lamu port will have a bigger vessel handling capacity than Mombasa port.
“Lamu has a natural draft of minus 18 metres and the dredging will take it to 23 metres deep. It will have the capacity to handle vessels of carrying between 6,000 and 13,000 TEUs,” Mturi said.
The 32-berth port has gained momentum, putting in motion the implementation of the project commissioned early 2012 by former President Mwai Kibaki. This is after a more than four-year lull caused by funding challenges.
South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, and former Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi attended the ground-breaking ceremony.
Lapsset director general Sylvester Kasuku dismissed claims that the project has lacked regional political goodwill.
Source: The Star

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