The port of Mombasa is now a transshipment hub for the Messina shipping line which has now become a regular caller at the port.
A full-capacity container vessel, the Ignazio Messina line, MV Jolly Gaida docked at the port of Mombasa at berth number 16 and is expected to leave on Wednesday night.
The vessel was loaded with around 2000 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).
Addressing a Press conference, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director Captain William Ruto said that it is an opportunity for KPA since Messina line has invested in complete full container vessels.
He said the shipping line was used to bring Ro-Ro vessels at the port of Mombasa, which they used to berth at berth number one.
The MD attributed the growth in business to the port’s efficiency saying new cranes are operating the ship hence new lines have changed their mode of delivery from Ro-Ro to full container vessels.
Captain Ruto added that the authority appreciates the Messina line for converting the port of Mombasa into a transshipment hub.
“Of the containers discharged from the ship, more than 35 percent belong to other ports, mainly Dar es Salaam. The port of Mombasa is acting as a transshipment hub for the Messina line and all their cargo heading to Dar es Salaam will be transshipped from this port. This is building us an excellent business and we thank them for building confidence in us as a port,” he added.
He said the port will commit to offering operational efficiency and reduction of ship waiting time so that the ship owner and the importer get value for money.
Cpt Ruto added that the ship is coming from Europe and its first call was Djibouti with Mombasa being its second port enroute to Durban and will come back to Mombasa to pick up export cargo and other transshipment cargo coming from other ports within the region.
He said the Lamu Port being a transshipment port will start its services to handle transshipment cargo as they expect to receive ship-to-shore crane equipment next month.
“I hope the Lamu port will kick start its operations soon. We are not worried since we expect shippers to adjust to the new port,” he said.
Captain Tommaso Elmetto thanked the Mombasa Port management and requested for reinforcement of the agreement, and cooperation between the Messina line and the Port of Mombasa.
“Our relations with KPA go way back; this is why we are using Mombasa as a transshipment hub. We are planning to improve our services,” he said.
Messina line Regional Managing Director Captain Giuseppe Fedele said that MV Jolly Gaida is the fifth full container line vessel coming to the port and there are more vessels ready to come in in a bid to support each other.
“We have now invested in a full container vessel; we have a normal line service with four calls in a month. Historically Messina has had services in Mombasa for the past 35 years and hopes to continue its operations here,” he said.
Fedele said that due to the popularity and efficiency of the Mombasa port, they chose it as a transshipment hub.
By Chari Suche
