Lamu Port handles 5,200 TEUs from single vessel

Nairobi, Kenya – The Port of Lamu recently handled an impressive 5,200 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from a single vessel, marking a significant milestone in its container handling capacity. The vessel, MV Hamouna, is 366 meters long and carries approximately 14,500 TEUs. Upon arrival, the port received about 5,200 TEUs from the vessel, with the discharged containers set to be transferred to smaller feeder vessels for onward transportation.

According to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director Captain William Ruto, this is the first vessel to discharge over 5,000 TEUs at once, surpassing Mombasa Port's capacity. Ruto highlighted Lamu Port as the next frontier in the maritime industry, emphasizing its ability to accommodate larger container ships due to its berths with a depth of 17.5 meters.

However, Lamu Port remains smaller compared to the Port of Mombasa, which handles the majority of Kenya's containerized cargo. Despite this, the port's container traffic is likely to increase with the development of the LAPSSET Corridor, a project aimed at connecting Lamu with northern Kenya and neighboring countries. The port has also received several large container vessels in recent months, including MV Baltimore Express and MV Nagoya Express.

Additionally, the development of the Dangote East Africa Refinery in Lamu is expected to generate additional demand for port and logistics services, although the scale and timing will depend on the refinery's progress.