SIMIC

CMA CGM Africa Vice President Ludovic Rozan declared they need a dedicated berth in Mombasa in order to help position Lamu as a transshipment port.

"To be able to grow in Lamu Port we need to grow in Mombasa Port, and therefore we expect the Kenya Ports Authority to give us a dedicated berth in Mombasa. If you can help us in Mombasa, we are ready to help you in Lamu," said Mr Rozan.

Mr Rozan said CMA-CGM is willing to utilise the Lamu facility for transshipment cargo to Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia, Mombasa, and Mozambique.

Kenya has made frantic efforts to market Lamu Port, pointing to its strategic location and its capacity to handle large ships in the 12,000 TEU to 18,000 TEU size range.

CMA CGM hopes that getting the Berth will allow them to increase its business in Kenya. CMA CGM currently comes in third with a 12.6 per cent market share, handling 171,311 TEU in and out of the port of Mombasa in 2020.

Kenya is investing US$300 million in a second container terminal, with handling capacity projected to increase to 1.7 million TEU by 2023, up from the current 1.4 million TEU.

Said National Treasury cabinet secretary Ukur Yatani: "It is on this basis that we have continued making huge infrastructure investments in modernising and expanding our ports which can accommodate the latest generation of large ships. Such developments also allow shipping companies like CMA CGM to transport their cargoes at reasonable costs,"