The Port of Lamu is witnessing its busiest period since operations began, with ten container ships scheduled to dock over the next two weeks.
French shipping line CMA CGM is driving the surge, delivering on its pledge to increase calls at Kenya’s newest deep-water port and bolstering Lamu’s position as a regional trade hub.
Its vessel, MV Lobivia, recently arrived from the port of Mombasa carrying 592 containers, which will be re-shipped to Zanzibar aboard MV Gulf Express, another first-time caller at Lamu.
According to the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), vessel activity at the port has reached record levels.
“We are seeing record traffic, and several major shipping lines have already expressed interest in deploying ultra-large vessels to Lamu,” said Captain AbdulAziz Mzee, the General Manager of Lamu Port.
This milestone comes just a week after MV Nagoya, the longest vessel ever to dock at an East African port at 335 metres, called at Lamu. That arrival followed the docking of the 299-metre MV Tolten, underscoring the port’s growing appeal thanks to its modern berths and spacious turning basin.
To keep pace with the growth, KPA has announced plans to acquire more equipment to handle rising trade volumes and further cement Lamu’s role in the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor.
During its maiden call, the master of MV Lobivia, Captain Victor Bushyn, was presented with a certificate to mark the vessel’s entry into Lamu.