This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) is working to alleviate congestion at the Nairobi Inland Container Depot (ICD) by leasing land for truck marshaling yards. The move is part of a plan to introduce an appointment booking system for container collection, which is expected to reduce wait times for trucks.
According to ICD Principal Operations Officer Nicholas Tendwa, the leased land will accommodate 200 trucks at a time. The goal is to provide a designated area for trucks to wait before entering the depot, ensuring a smoother flow of cargo.
As of 2018, trucks were waiting for over 13 days to collect cargo at the ICD. However, thanks to KPA's efforts, dwell time has decreased to six days this year. The agency has also increased the costs for uncollected containers and introduced a graduating tariff to discourage trucks from leaving their cargo at the depot for extended periods.
Additionally, KPA is planning to roll out an SMS container tracking system, which will notify importers on the movement of their containers after they leave Mombasa port. This system aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in the cargo handling process.
With the ICD's capacity to hold 15,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), KPA is targeting to haul at least 40% of cargo from Mombasa port on the Standard Gauge Railway. The agency is also working to reduce congestion by leasing peripheral storage facilities for cargo that is over 21 days old.
These initiatives demonstrate KPA's commitment to improving the efficiency and reliability of Kenya's port operations.
