The Kenya Ports Authority has announced plans to secure Sh 618million that would enable the commencement of interim operations at the Lamu Port in two months.
Eng. Abuldahi Samatar, General Manager in charge of the Lamu Port project intimates confirmed the report and said that Interim operations at the Lamu Port are set to begin in the first berth, with respective agencies tied to port operations having commenced laying the groundwork for full operationalization, once all the three berths are completed later in October this year.
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.
Eyeing Lamu Por
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). The government put up the first three while the rest extended to financiers and private sector for development.
Worldโs largest container shipping company, Maersk is among those that are eyeing Lamu Port, a boost to the facility which is slowly getting international maritime players attention. Kenya is counting on the LAPSSET corridor to open up trade with her Northern neighbours, mainly Ethiopia and South Sudan.
Interim operations will begin on June 15, with the first berth which already has a container yard terminal fully in place to carry out initial logistics operationalization of the Lamu port. This is notwithstanding continued works at the container yard terminals 2 and 3 that stand at 83% completion.
โWe remain optimistic that the schedule to interim operationalization of berth 1 will enable stakeholders to realize that the port project is finally coming to fruition,โ stated Eng. Dan Amadi, head Lamu Port Development Project.
