MV Mt Elgon on Lake Victoria
The regional investments by both the private and public sectors in Uganda and Kenya in water transport are beginning to bear fruit as Kenya’s Port of Kisumu quickly becomes a key transit hub.
Over the last three years, the two countries have intensified efforts to ensure that more cargo in transit is taken off the road by investing in the improvement of the facilities at Kisumu to enable easier transportation to and from Port Bell in Kampala.
The most recent additions to high-capacity vessels were MV Uhuru II by the Kenya Railways Corporation, which made her maiden voyage to Port Bell in September last year, and Uganda’s MV Mpungu, owned by East African Marine Transport, which launched commercial operations in January this year.
Over the weekend, MV Orion II docked at the Kisumu Port to load 600 metric tons of ceramics destined for export through Port Bell, Uganda. Other vessels are Ugandan-registered MT Elgon and MT Kabaka Mutebi II, which majorly deliver petroleum products from Kisumu to Kawuku, near Entebbe, MV Munanka from Tanzania, Mango Tree, and MV Noris of Kenya.
The port continues to register a remarkable increase in ship traffic and cargo volumes, marking a significant shift in the regional trade landscape and connectivity, according to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). The MV Orion II, which docks at Kisumu, is a key part of the growing cargo transportation network across Lake Victoria, according as the port becomes a key water transport hub in the region.
KPS reports that last year, the port registered growth in activities, handling 280,381 metric tons of cargo, “a striking improvement” from the 116,578 MT registered in 2023. The authority reports that so far this year alone, the port has processed 109,839 MT, with 67 vessel calls (the number of times vessels arrive at the port) recorded, further highlighting the growing economic importance of Kisumu port in the region.
According to KPA, Uganda, as a source and destination, dominates the rising cargo numbers handled at the port. Gas oil accounts for 58 percent, followed by ceramic tiles at 23 percent, while construction materials and steel billets account for 13 percent, according to the KPA reports.
Fertilisers in bags follow with 6 percent. Most of these goods are shipped to Uganda through Jinja and Port Bell, as well as Mwanza in Tanzania.
The growth of the port is attributed to several other factors, including the revitalization and modernization efforts, berth upgrading, and the Kisumu-Nairobi metre gauge railway links, all aimed at boosting operational efficiency and streamlining cargo movement.
“With ongoing infrastructure projects, including construction of the storage facilities, a passenger terminal, and modern cargo handling equipment, are set to increase Kisumu Port’s capacity for future growth,” says KPA According to Kisumu port Manager Cargo Services Operations Patrick Makau, the port anticipates more improvements in safety and efficiency while focusing on modernization, better regional transport integration, and embracing smart port technologies.
It is also anticipated that transportation of cargo between Uganda and Kenya over Lake Victoria transport will greatly increase when the Bukasa Port, now under construction in Wakiso District, is completed.
-URN
