Major shipping lines re-route ‘megacarriers’ to Mombasa Port
Major Shipping Lines are rerouting mega carriers directly to the port of Mombasa in-order to benefit from the economies of scale accruing from the recently expanded channel capacity, Coastweek reports.
The new trend is gradually being embraced at the port as proven by the successful handling of some large carriers recently.
Already the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has replaced some of its smaller container vessels with two Panama vessels namely MSC Roberta and MSC Jade.
The two have a length overall of 244 m and 241 m respectively, each with over 3300 TEUs capacity and a draft of 12.9 meters.
Local maritime experts have exuded confidence that the trend will lead to reduction of freight costs into the region.
The CMA-CGM shipping lines picking on this trend has deployed a 222meters long vessel with a draft of 12metres.
Mv Stadt Dresden carrying over 2, 600 TEU’s made her maiden call at the port last Monday.
As a tradition the Authority has arranged to recognize the ship’s call by presenting the master with certificate of first call.
Maersk Shipping line is already operating 2,600 TEU vessels regularly plying between the port of Mombasa , Salalah and the West India continent.
Other notable large carriers that have since called the port following the dredging include the Roll-on-Roll-off (RORO) vessel Jolly Diamante the largest of her kind.
She has a length overall of 239metres and deadweight capacity of 46,635 tons.
Owned and operated by Ignazio Messina of Italy the vessel operates a direct service between Europe and East Africa . She was built in 2011.
MV D Ladybug, a Pure Car Carrier (PCC) vessel, made her maiden call to Mombasa on 30th April 2012.
She is one of the largest car carriers in the world.
Built in 2011, the vessel has a length of 233 meters and a capacity of nearly 3,000 motor car units.
She is owned by Ladybug Corporation of Panama and is represented locally by Rais Shipping.
She sailed from Mombasa on May 02, 2012 after discharging over 2,600 motor car units for Kenya , Uganda , South Sudan and Tanzania.
Meanwhile KPA Managing Director Mr. Gichiri Ndua has said discovery of oil in Turkana is a boon to the ongoing development of Lamu Port.
He was receiving a delegation of the Judiciary of Southern Sudan (JOSS) in his office at the KPA headquarters.
The delegation was led by the President of the Supreme Court of Southern Sudan Justice Chan Reec Madut.
“While the construction of the second port of Lamu was seen as important, it is now even more crucial after the discovery of oil in the Turkana region” said Ndua.
He noted that the construction of an oil refinery in Lamu and a host of other projects lined by the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) were going to benefit Kenya and South Sudan tremendously.
The South Sudan delegation appreciated the strategic port development plan to address their country’s demands for port services.
They commended the Government efforts towards ongoing development of Lamu port and LAPSSET corridor.