The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) have announced a joint plan to accelerate cargo clearance and enhance efficiency at the Port of Mombasa, following a surge in vessel arrivals triggered by the temporary closure of Tanzania’s Port of Dar es Salaam.
The move follows a high-level meeting convened by the Executive Office of the President, bringing together key port stakeholders to address emerging congestion and safeguard the port’s competitiveness as a key gateway for East and Central Africa’s trade.
In a joint communiqué signed by KPA Managing Director Capt. William Ruto and KRA Commissioner for Customs and Border Control Dr. Lilian Nyawanda, the two agencies outlined a raft of immediate and medium-term measures to streamline operations and decongest the port.
Under the new plan, long-stay containerized cargo will be relocated to customs-licensed peripheral facilities. Cargo destined for Mombasa will be cleared at Container Freight Stations (CFSs), while consignments bound for Nairobi and other inland destinations will be transported by rail to the Nairobi Inland Container Depot (ICD). Cargo heading to Uganda will be redirected to the Naivasha ICD to ease pressure on the main port.
To accelerate cargo evacuation, KPA will offer a 100 per cent waiver on accrued storage and warehouse rent for long-stay cargo, provided applications are made within 30 days.
Shipping lines have also been instructed to waive container detention and demurrage charges as part of the decongestion initiative. However, primary port charges, rail freight fees, and statutory taxes will remain payable.
KRA will continue to identify cargo eligible for auction and publish such consignments in the gazette, while goods approved for destruction will be transferred to licensed disposal sites.
Additionally, cargo under the Single Customs Territory (SCT) regime will be exempt from the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS) e-seal process, except for high-risk shipments.
In a further effort to streamline operations, all container inspections by state agencies will now be conducted outside the port and completed within five days. KRA also plans to introduce Pre-Arrival Processing to enable faster clearance of goods and minimize delays.
The coordinated approach between KPA and KRA is expected to ease congestion, cut turnaround times, and reinforce the Port of Mombasa’s position as the region’s leading maritime and logistics hub.