The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has initiated end-to-end logistics services, a move that has received backing from Uganda, South Sudan, and Rwanda, marking a significant shift in regional logistics. This comprehensive service, including procurement, distribution, transport, and delivery, aims to streamline operations at the Port of Mombasa, enhancing its status as a pivotal regional hub. The strategy, articulated by KPA Managing Director William Ruto, targets transit markets to reduce freight costs and exclude brokers, thereby expediting transportation.
Despite resistance from local clearing agents concerned about job redundancy, KPA is proceeding to re-tender these services, focusing on market leadership and business expansion. "Several initiatives have been adopted including tariff-based incentives, increase of free-storage period and end-to-end logistics solutions to offer a one-stop service," stated Jones Buchere, KPA's Acting Manager for Corporate Communication. High-level engagements with regional counterparts underscore the collaborative efforts towards optimizing logistics in East Africa, with Rwanda exploring logistics options through a high-ranking official's visit to Kenya and subsequent meetings aimed at leveraging the 24-hour operational capacity of the Port of Mombasa.
Source: kenyans.co.ke