This archive report was first published on 19 May 2020.
As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Port of Mombasa has seen a decline in container traffic, raising concerns about the port's 2020 targets.
According to a report by the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Co-ordination Authority, the port handled 108,958 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in February 2020, down from 110,790 TEUs in February 2019.
The report cited the pandemic as the reason for the decline, with China, one of Kenya's top trading partners, being among the countries affected. China contributes 29.2% of the full import containers or 9.9% of the total cargo throughput handled in Mombasa, as per 2019 port statistics.
Big container liners from China and several bulk carriers cancelled their normal calls in the first quarter due to the virus, while exports were also curtailed due to restrictions in Europe, the USA, and other export markets.
The report, titled 'Mombasa Port and Northern Corridor Community Charter analysis report on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on port performance and productivity', also noted that the volume of cargo handled at the Inland Container Depot Nairobi (ICDN) declined from 31,516 TEUs recorded in March 2019 to 26,200 TEUs in March 2020.
Despite fewer vessels calling at the port, the Covid-19 pandemic led to stringent measures introduced to protect dock workers and increased the documentation process, causing delays and increasing the cargo dwell time for transit goods.
