by Peter Mutai
MOMBASA, Kenya, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya Ports Authority's (KPA) is set to launch two ultra-modern diesel electric cranes mid next year at the Port of Mombasa to help mitigate pollution.
KPA Managing Director Catherine Mturi-Wairi told a media workshop in Mombasa on Monday evening that the equipment that were bought at a cost of 8.7 million U.S. dollars are aimed at attaining acceptable standards of green policy practices.
"The cranes will provide dust and spillage-free unloading through a dust control system that minimizes escape of dust during discharge," she said.
Unlike the mobile harbor cranes currently used at the port which handles one vessel at a time, the new cranes will handle two vessels simultaneously.
Mturi-Wairi noted that the two portal harbor cranes are part of a comprehensive program in supporting the Port of Mombasa's resilient port infrastructure initiatives.
She revealed that KPA has developed a green port policy which seeks to position the Port of Mombasa as a leading world port providing sound stewardship and management of the environment affected by port operations.
"The policy intends to position the Port of Mombasa as a leading world port providing sound stewardship and management of the environment affected by port operations," she added.
It also seeks to place people first while addressing the negative impacts occasioned by port operations and placing a premium on technology-rich and sustainable port operations.
Mturi-Wairi noted that the authority has witnessed good performance in the January-September period.
She said that the port handled a total of 22.76 million tons of cargo compared with 20.57 million tons registered in the corresponding period in 2016, reflecting an increase of 10.6 percent.
The rise in imports was once again driven by the increase in dry bulk commodities, posting a major increase of 18 percent in the period under review.
This was attributed by importation of wheat, fertilizers, refined petroleum and palm/vegetable oil. Export market that was mainly supported by coffee and tea increased by 37.7 percent and 3.6 percent respectively.
"Plans are at advanced stage to build a new modern and bigger oil terminal to replace the current Kipevu Oil Terminal," Mturi-Wairi noted.
The facility will handle four vessels at a time and will have underground pipelines to link with the KPC storage tanks.
In collaboration with the Trademark East Africa, a regional trade lobby, KPA is constructing a modern cruise terminal at Berth Number one and two aimed at complementing the tourism sector in the region.
Mturi-Wairi also revealed plans to develop small ports along the coastline and also inland waterways such as Shimoni and Kisumu ports in South Coast and Western Kenya, respectively.
