The Kenya Ports Authority KPA in collaboration with Comarco-a marine firm subcontracted to move the heavy equipment- has started moving heavy equipment from the Mombasa Port to the new facility in Lamu County ahead of its operations.
The new equipment are expected to facilitated loading and offloading of cargo at the three berths constructed at a cost of Sh 40billion. KPA official Ernest Mbalanya who supervised the work, said that they executed the loading of equipment with precision to avoid damage and took consideration of adverse sea weather before sailing off.
On the first shipment, they will be moving four terminal tractors, eight skeletal trailers, two forklifts, two low-bed trailers, four lateral mark buoys and assorted lifting equipment which will be installed in the first three berths which have been constructed by the government. On May 5, KPA will transport the sensitive equipment that requires stability.
Second shipment
“This forms the initial phase of transporting equipment that is critical in cargo handling to the new Lamu Port. We shall be carrying out a second shipment that will involve the bigger cranes that are used in loading and offloading from ships on May 5,” said Ernest Mbalanya, KPA representative.
They will be loading two rubber-gantry cranes, one Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) scanner, two mobile cranes and other equipment needed for operation of the facility. Cormaco is expected to transfer a gigantic Rubber-Tyred Gantry Crane (RTGC) soon after making the first delivery. Other crucial equipment required to start port operations will have been transferred to Lamu Port by May 20th.
The hardware included four Kalmar terminal tractors, eight skeletal trailers, one 25- tonne forklift, one five-tonne forklift, two low bed trailers, two (20) spreaders and two (40) spreaders and one over- height spreader.
The natural deep-sea port is part of the Sh2.5 trillion Lamu-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) project launched in 2012. The major players in the port equipment market include Liebherr (Switzerland), TTS (Norway), Kalmar (Finland), Konecranes (Finland), Sany (China) and Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) (China). Others are Hyster (US), Lonking (China), CVS Ferrari (Italy), Anhui Heli (China), and Famur Famak (Poland), among others.
Construction of the first three berths of the planned 32-berth Lamu Port, has been completed at a cost of Sh 71.2bn. It is being developed by China Communication Construction Company (CCCC).
