KENYA's Dock Workers Union (DWU) wants Mombasa's second container terminal dedicated to transshipment cargo to increase national throughput, reports the Nairobi Star. Transshipment ports involve more ship-to-shore work and are more labour intensive for dockers than gateway ports because they handle the container twice, once when it arrived and again when it is sent on to another port.
The Kenya Ports Authority, in marking the Mombasa's millionth TEU last year, noted that transshipment cargo soared 309.2 per cent in 2014.
Now DWU secretary-general Simon Sang said the country's second container terminal, now under construction, should be dedicated to this role.
"Transshipment traffic is a key segment of cargo traffic that any port would strive to capture given the fewer logistical challenges involved," said Mr Sang.
"It is a business everyone is looking forward to. I am surprised as a port we have not started doing that," he said
Last year, overall transshipment cargo traffic at the port of Mombasa recorded a robust performance posting 621,000 tonnes up from slightly above 100,374 tonnes handled in 2013.
The construction of the three-phase container terminal at the port with a capacity of 1.2 million TEU, continues. The first 450,000-TEU capacity phase is 62.2 per cent complete and is expected to be ready by 2016 with the second phase to begin construction later this year.
PORTS
12 January 2015 - 20:54
Kenyan dockers want Mombasa's 2nd terminal in transshipment role
KENYA's Dock Workers Union (DWU) wants Mombasa's second container terminal dedicated to transshipment cargo to increase national throughput, reports the Nairobi Star.
PORTS
12 January 2015 - 20:54
Kenyan dockers want Mombasa's 2nd terminal in transshipment role
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