Kenya Ports Authority Extends Free Storage Time for Uganda’s Transit Cargo

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has made a change that helps people who use the port. They have increased the amount of time that cargo can stay in storage for free.

Betty Mkonyi, the person who represents KPA in Uganda, talked about this at a meeting in Kampala. She said that KPA has been making improvements to the port and has finished building a new container area to hold more cargo. They have also made a new rule: now, cargo can stay in storage for up to 15 days without having to pay.

But, if cargo stays for more than 15 days but less than 21 days, the owner has to pay $30 for a 20-foot container or $60 for a 40-foot container. If cargo stays for more than 21 days, the fees increase to $45 for a 20-foot container and $90 for a 40-foot container.

Mombasa Port is a very important port in Africa. It connects many places in the world, like Europe, Asia, America, and the Far East. Even though it’s in a great location and connects to many trade routes, it hasn’t reached its full potential yet.

However, the Kenyan government and its partners in the Northern Corridor are working hard to make the port better. They are building roads, waterways, and railways to connect to the port.

Kenyan High Commissioner to Uganda, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) George Owinow, praised KPA for making the port better and more efficient. He said that the port is crucial for the Northern Corridor because it connects many countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, DR Congo, and South Sudan.

In recent months, the Kenyan government has introduced measures to make the Port of Mombasa work better, including keeping it open 24 hours a day.

Uganda is the biggest user of Mombasa Port after Kenya, with 24% of the cargo going there. Each year, 6 million tonnes of cargo for Uganda pass through Mombasa, which handles about 80% of Uganda’s imports and exports. Tanzania’s Dar-es-Salaam handles 10%, and the rest goes through other ports and Entebbe Airport. Other destinations include South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania.

Table: Fees for Cargo Storage