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President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday presided over the operationalization of the first berth of the new Lamu Port.
Kenyatta witnessed the docking of the first two ships at the harbor, which is part of the Sh2.5 trillion Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) project launched in 2012.
The first vessel MV Cap Carmel, a Singaporean container ship, docked at Lamu on its way to Salalah in Oman from the Port of Dar es Salam in Tanzania. The second ship MV Seago Bremerhavel is hauling a cargo of premium Kenyan avocadoes from Kakuzi PLC, Makuyu Orchards in Murang’a County to France.
The President witnessed the offloading and loading of two ships simultaneously to complete a historic day for Lamu.
Speaking during the launch, Kenyatta said the new seaport will position Kenya’s economy on the continent and globally, adding that it is strategically located at the convergence of major shipping routes.
“This Port will connect South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Eventually, it will connect northern Kenya to the Middle Belt of Africa; which runs from Dakar, Senegal in the west to Lamu in the east,” he said.
“With one of the deep-water harbors on the east coast of Africa, Lamu Port has the potential to become a premier transshipment hub for all cargo destined for the continent.”
When complete, the Sh310 billion port will have 32 berths, making it the largest deep-water port in Sub-Saharan Africa.
On his way to the port, President Kenyatta launched the 114-kilometer Garsen-Witu-Lamu Road, which will facilitate the movement of cargo in and out of Lamu Port.
“In the next phase of LAPSSET, Lamu Port and northern Kenya will be connected by rail and pipeline links, which will eventually reach Ethiopia, South Sudan, and other regional States, with the final stop being Dakar in Senegal,” Kenyatta remarked.
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