Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen says the newly acquired four Ship-to-Shore Gantry cranes (STS) will bolster the Port of Mombasa’s efficiency.
Speaking on Monday at the Port of Mombasa, when he witnessed the offloading of the STS at berth number 16, Murkomen said the cranes herald a new dawn in port efficiency and modernization.
The arrival of the four STS follows the decommissioning of the previous equipment, which served the port for the past nineteen years.
“One of the most striking advancements these cranes bring is in the domain of speed. As the heartbeat of efficiency, these new cranes boast a remarkable hoisting speed of 80 meters per minute, effortlessly lifting a maximum of 65 tons in a twin lift motion.
The achievement outpaces the capabilities of their predecessors, which held a hoisting speed of 70 meters per minute.
“Additionally, the trolley speed of these modern giants clocks in at an impressive 240 meters per minute, compared to the previous 180 meters per minute,’’ said Murkomen.
The four STS have a capacity of handling bigger vessels of 21 containers compared to the previous ones which handled only 18 across.
“The acceleration of speed is a reflection of our pursuit of excellence, of our unwavering commitment to minimizing downtime, and of our dedication to serving the needs of global trade with precision,” Murkomen elucidated.
The Port of Mombasa currently boasts a contingent of 16 STSs, 25 Reach stackers, with four more anticipated, and a fleet of 27 Empty Container Handlers to be procured.
To solidify KPA’s commitment to modernization and capacity, the CS disclosed that the Port of Lamu is set to receive three Ship-to-Shore Gantry cranes.
As a result of the acquisition of modern equipment, the Port of Mombasa in the first half of 2023, recorded a remarkable increase of 3.3 per cent with cargo handling surging from 17.48 million tons handled in 2022 to 18.06 million tons.
Container traffic recorded an increase of 8.5 per cent rising from 722,063 TEUs to 783,125 TEUs.
“These numbers reflect our strategic dedication, paving the way for promising growth. Our projection of handling 34.5 million tons (1.4 percent more than 2022) and 1.56 million TEUs (7.7 percent growth from 2022) underscores our unwavering commitment to progress,” Murkomen added.
The CS was accompanied by KPA Board of Directors Chairman Benjamin Tayari and KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto who termed the newly acquired cranes a game changer in ongoing efforts aimed at improving port efficiency.
Nicholas Kigondu and Haniel Mengistu
