Kenya Ports Authority
Container Freight Stations
Off-port CFS services
help speed up container throughput
UNTIL 2007 the Port of Mombasa had a problem: too many inbound containers and not enough space to stack or handle them. This long-standing issue had pushed up costs for importers and caused headaches for the port authority. In fact, the problem was finally solved very quickly by establishing a series of container freight stations located off-port and run by independent operators.
since been joined by five others – two in November 2008 and a further three in February 2009. The other five are: Portside Terminals, Awanad Logistics, Interpel Investments, Mitchell Cotts Freight and Compact Freight Systems. Others are in the pipeline.
It was in October 2007 that, for the first time, a ship’s cargo – in the form of Kenya-bound non-reefer containers – was transferred to an off-dock CFS after being discharged in Mombasa. The biggest of these CFS facilities now handles up to 4,000 teu per month.
working patterns There is no question that 24/7 working patterns at the terminal were a big help in this regard. Thanks to these combined measures, the number of containers at the terminal fell from 15,000 to just 9,000. The first of these facilities to enter service were Mombasa Container Terminal (MCT) and Consolbase. These pioneers have
29