At least nine ships are scheduled to dock at the Port of Lamu this month, in a sign that the facility is beginning to carve out a greater role in East Africa’s seaborne trade as smaller regional ports struggle with congestion.
Capt Abdulaziz Mzee, the port’s general manager, said operations were being scaled up as international shipping lines increasingly book calls to discharge cargo at the deep-water harbour.
“We are working round the clock to ensure the Port of Lamu performs its role. The port’s natural depth and larger turning basin are attracting many shipping lines that have made enquiries to sail here,” he said.
Vessels lined up for August include CMA CGM Saigon, Stephanie C, Onego Buran, Lobivia, Myny, CMA CGM Kailas Derby D and CMA CGM Tarragona. The schedule follows the recent call of MV Nagoya Express, a 335-metre container ship that is the longest to dock in East Africa, which lifted transshipment cargo bound for New York.
Interest has also come from leading carriers such as Mediterranean Shipping Company, Ocean Network Express and Maersk. Locally, Spears Shipping Contractors has announced it will launch services on the Lamu route through a new subsidiary in partnership with Zanzibar-based Ikram Sealine.
Maritime analyst Andrew Mwangura said the surge in calls underlined Lamu’s potential to reshape regional logistics. He argued that the port’s capacity to handle ultra-large vessels offered Kenya a competitive edge but warned that challenges remain, including deteriorating road connectivity, a lack of specialised berths and limited integration with wider trade corridors such as the AfCFTA, LAPSSET and the Northern Corridor.
“Lamu’s deep-water berths and 400-metre turning basin give it an advantage over Mombasa, and new ship-to-shore cranes will enhance efficiency,” Mwangura said.
