Kisumu Port Set to Break Performance Records in 2024
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- September 2, 2024
Kisumu Port is on track to shatter its performance records this year, with projections indicating it will surpass 200,000 metric tons in total cargo throughput. This remarkable achievement is highlighted in the 2024 half-year performance report, which shows the port handled 125,503 metric tons, a significant increase from the 60,910 tons recorded during the same period last year. This represents a growth of 64,592 metric tons or 51.5%.
The port has also seen a substantial rise in vessel calls, with 116 calls recorded by July this year, up by 63 calls compared to the same period last year. Among the vessels currently docked is the MV Uhuru, which is loading 22 wagons of steel billets weighing 804.5 metric tons, destined for Jinja, Uganda.
A notable development is the anticipated maiden voyage of MV Uhuru II, the first ship assembled in Kenya. This vessel has a capacity of 1,800 tons and is designed to carry both petroleum and bulk dry cargo. Equipped with modern engines, it boasts a cruising speed of 14 knots.
MV Uhuru II at the Kisumu Port
In response to the growing demand for petroleum products in the transit market, another fuel tanker, MT Kabaka Mutebi III, will soon join the fleet servicing Kisumu, Port Bell, and Jinja ports.
The ongoing expansion of the Kisumu jetty, a multibillion-shilling project, will further enhance the port’s capacity to handle petroleum products. Additionally, the Kenya Pipeline Corporation is upgrading its systems at the loading bay to facilitate simultaneous loading for both trucks and vessels.
